


Life's Lessons II

by VividDayDreamer



Series: Her Story [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Clueless Sabine, Differences in social classes, Drama & Romance, F/F, First Kiss, First Love, Flirting, Growing Up, Original Character(s), Pre-Star Wars: Rebels, Sabine accidentally gets hit on by a girl, Sabine can act as a chivalrous boyfriend, Sabine gets drunk for the first time, Sabine's past, playful banter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-05-24 20:25:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14961590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VividDayDreamer/pseuds/VividDayDreamer
Summary: Mandalorians were declared as adults by the age of 13, after going through a rite of passage.Sabine may be a talented artist, a skilled warrior, a weapons specialist, and a fluent speaker of several languages, but she still has a lot of growing up to do.  There's a lot in the world she doesn't yet know about or dealt with.Life Lesson II:  Love comes unexpectedly and affects Sabine in the way only first love can.





	1. The New Clients

The days following were kind to Kya. She was finally showing signs of recovery. She no longer experienced any fevers, and the coughing fits had minimized. The illness still lingered, but Kya was going to make it. Her elderly state made healing a bit more difficult, but damned if she was going to let it get the best of her. She lived for Sabine.

Sabine continued her job at the hangar, knowing that it provided them a steady stream of income that, now with the lessened medical bills, allowed them to save up for a rainy day. Sabine still wished she could make more somehow. She still worried about the Imperials evicting them from their home if they were unable to pay their dues.

"Hey Jing!"

Sabine turned towards the direction of her alias, and saw her boss standing in the middle of the docks with Gial-Yos Var, one of the hangar's most experienced technicians. Sabine loved working with Gial. The Mon-Calamari was quite intelligent and she always learned something new while assisting him. He had a vast knowledge of spacecrafts, no doubt the result of years and years of working with a multitude of technologies. His primary role at the hangar was to analyze and diagonse the faulty ships, then pass the knowledge onto to the mechanics who would take over and make the actual repairs.

"Jing on the double!" Her boss shouted from the middle of the hanger.

Sabine complied, rushing towards him. She noticed a few other people standing with them. From the looks of it, it was a family. A well-to-do family at that. They all dressed in proper, formal attire.

"Jing, this is Count and Countess Tekset, and their daughter, Lady Pristella."

"A pleasure to meet you," she responded.

"Count, may I introduce Aaron Jing, one of our youngest, but brilliant mechanics."

"Is he now? He looks way too young," the gentleman said; his words, not condescending, but more curious.

"Hahaha, I thought that myself when he first asked me for a job. But have no worries Count. Jing is one of the best employees here and is the most efficient at his duties."

"Hm. Well, then, glad to hear it," the man said, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder.

The men continued chatting about business: what needed to be done to his vessel, how much it would cost, how long it would take to repair, all the details. Sabine just stood to the side, analyzing their clients. They clearly seemed to be important figures, or maybe that's just the money talking, because the attention they were getting from Jawgs was far more than anyone's ever received when they brought in their ship.

"Alright then, that's all settled. I appreciate your understanding and look forward to working with you."

The men shook hands and before they left, the Count turned towards the boy. "I trust that you will do an excellent job," he said, as he slipped in some credits into the top corner pocket of her jumpsuit. In that moment, Sabine broke a sweat. No one has ever brushed up that close to her before while disguised, and was afraid her cover would be blown, but the man stepped back and tipped his head without saying another word, before escorting his family to the exit.

Sabine let out a sigh of relief, for once glad that she was, well, young and that her binding was suitable enough to hide her femininity.

"Now Jing, you and Var are to do a thorough, and I mean thorough job on these folks' ship. They are payin' us good money, and if we play our cards right, that Count there may even recommend our hangar to his wealthy friends. Don't screw this up."

Sabine was honored to be chosen to work on this project. Out of all his mechanics, he chose her, and that meant a lot. She was bound to do her best, not to say that she never did, but maybe there were a few incidences where she chose not to, on account of some entitled jerk who deserved it.

* * *

Sabine met up with Gial at the dock where the Tekset's ship was housed. He was tapping on his datapad, inputting some details regarding the ship into the company records. He looked up to see Sabine approaching him.

"Hello there, young one. Ready to get started?"

"Always, Master Var," she said with a smile and a salute.

Sabine had jokingly started calling Var, Master Var, since little ever seemed to stump him when it came to starship mechanics. The Mon Calamari had grown fond of the young boy, admiring his eagerness and quick abilities to learn, and didn't seem at all bothered at the title he was given.

They entered the ship and began the analysis of the ship's systems. Gial ran system diagonsis and examined their results while Sabine hovered near him to pick up on what he was doing, asking questions as they went along. Due to the sheer size of the ship, and the custom features that it had, it had nearly taken the whole day to complete their analysis.

Day one was coming to a close. Gial and Sabine had finally completed the full diagnostics and ordered the appropriate parts they needed. Since the ship was as custom as they came, and was high-end at that, it required specialized parts that they did not have on hand and had to order them from specialized vendors, which meant that it would take a few days before they received them.

As they exited the ship, Gial caught hold of the boy's shoulder, causing Sabine to stop and look at him.

"You did an excellent job today, young apprentice," the Mon Calamari said with a proud smile. In response to Sabine's calling him Master, he only found it appropriate to refer to the young one as, apprentice.

"Thank you, Master," she said, smiling and bowing her head slightly.

"You're really picking up on all of this. I was very impressed on how efficiently you ran the diagnostics on the weapons systems. One day, you may even surpass me."

Sabine smiled and rubbed the back of her neck, a bit embarrassed by his praise.

"I don't think I could ever surpass you Master," she said sheepishly.

"Now, now. Don't sell yourself short young one. You are by far the most talented young man I have ever had the pleasure working with at this establishment. I can hardly get any one of these other technicians anywhere interested in doing proper analysis like you have. I've always wondered what this place would turn into if I couldn't fulfill my responsibilities here one day." 

He said this somewhat disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm for the other employees, but shook his head, acknowledging that some sentients were just happy to do what they were told to do and move on. He looked onto the boy once more.

"Now that I have you, apprentice, I feel much more confident that this place isn't going to fall apart," he said with a chuckle. 

"If there is one thing I still need to teach you though, it's self-confidence," he said, putting on a more serious look.

Sabine shyed away at his last comment.

"Aaran, look at me."

Sabine obeyed and looked up at the Mon Calamari.

"You are a very talented individual. Your natural curiosity and ability to think on your feet, absorb knowledge and put everything you know into use, which I might add is quite an impressive amount, especially at such a young age, is something you should be proud of. You will only become better as you grow older, and I do not doubt that you are very capable of doing anything you put your mind to. Do not think of yourself as anything less, you understand?"

Sabine nodded at his words.

"But," he added. "Do not become so proud that you become arrogant and believe that you cannot still learn from others," he said, as he gently tapped his datapad on the boy's head.

"Don't worry, I won't Master."

Sabine looked up at him and gave him a genuine smile that forced its way into a grin. She was happy to hear words like that coming from someone; someone who was truly proud of her abilities, what she was able to do, not finding faults, and actually cared for how she thought of herself.


	2. Encounter With The Princess

The next day, Sabine arrived back at the ship, bright and early. Most of the other technicians hadn't yet arrived, but Sabine was keen on surpassing her goals and was hopeful she would be able to expedite the repairs, completing sooner than estimated. She hoped, that not only would that leave a great impression on her, but maybe, just maybe, the Count would reward her personally for her efforts.

She lowered the ship's ramp and made her way inside. She checked her notes to determine which area to start first, and made her way towards the cockpit of the ship. While looking down at her datapad, she walked towards the front of the ship and ran into someone, knocking them down to the ground. Looking up, she noticed a young teenage girl sitting helplessly on the ground.

"Oh force, I didn't realize anyone was in here. I'm so so sorry," Sabine explained, assisting the young girl to her feet.

"No, no. No need to apologize. It's my fault for being here unexpectedly," the girl said as she stood up, brushing off her dress.

"You're that Jing boy, aren't you?"

"Yes ma'am. Aaran. Aaran Jing." Sabine stared at the girl. She was slightly shorter than the Mandalorian. She had a slender figure and wore an airy, yet elegant, off-white dress that was simple, yet had intricate detailing and stitching. It was a dress that you could clearly tell, probably cost more than what Sabine could earn in a month's time. Her long, blonde hair caressed her shoulders, and her eyes were a captivating emerald green that could draw anyone in.

"And you're...Pris...Pris..," Sabine tried hard to recall.

"Hm. Well that's a first. Usually my name is remembered during the first meeting," she said partially joking.

"I...I'm sorry, I do apologize miss..."

"Pristella. You may address me as Lady Pristella."

"Lady Pristella," Sabine repeated. She glanced away, embarrassed, hoping that she hadn't offended her.

"Hmph," she said, with a sly smile. "You don't work with many....hm....people of my standing, do you?"

Sabine felt the girl's eyes burn through her. Her cheeks turned red. It's true, though. Back on Mandalore they didn't really recognize status like other cultures did, and outside of that, she mainly dealt with regular, everyday people. She didn't want to sound ignorant though, so she remained silent, hoping her body language was enough to appease her question.

"Really? The silent treatment now? That's...also a first."

"Kriff, I'm totally screwing this up," Sabine thought to herself.

"No, Lady...," flustered, she forgot her name again. "Kriff!," she yelled in her head. "This really wasn't the impression I was hoping to leave with these people. Her father may love my work in the end, but for now, I've fully embarrassed myself. Great job Sabine. Juuust great."

In the meantime, Pristella was amused by the boy's inept ability to remain composed and hold a simple conversation. She found it somewhat endearing.

"Pristella," said said once more, completing Sabine's sentence.

Thoroughly ashamed at this point, she nodded, wanting nothing more than to escape this uncomfortable interaction.

"I...should probably start working on the repairs Lady Pristella," she said, her eyes not meeting the girl's. "Please accept my apologies for bumping into you and...everything thereafter." Sabine kept her head bowed down and attempted to pass the Count's daughter.

"That's...also a first."

Sabine froze in her tracks. "Kriff...what'd I do now?" she thought. She reluctantly turned back to the girl.

"Hmph," she scoffed, "Usually, one such as yourself isn't dismissed unless told."

"Ugghh, really??!! Is this what these people are really like?!" Sabine thought. She was slowly losing her cool. If it weren't for the benign and somehow friendly manner of tone Pristella used throughout their interaction, it would have easily been interpreted as typical snobbish comments meant to belittle every ounce of dignity she had. That, was only saving grace that kept Sabine's attitude in check. 

"I swear, this girl is driving me insane. Who does she think she is? If it weren't for the money...and possibly my job...Aaarg...she is karking lucky.." she continued to herself.

"Ahahahha, I'm sorry," the girl said surprisingly. "Your reaction was precious. I just had to keep up my ruse."

"What?!" Sabine said confused, but her question came out with a slight attitude.

"Now, now, let's not cause a scene," she said with her hand at her mouth, holding back her laughter.

"Look, princess, I don't know what's so funny, but if you excuse me, I do have work to finish." 

Sabine has had just about enough of this girl, and put her formalities aside out of reaction and spite, then turned on her way.

"Another first."

"Will you stop that? What? What did I offend you with this time?"

"Ah, there he is."

"What?"

The girl snickered. "Okay, okay, look, I'm sorry that my amusement was at your expense." 

Sabine just stood there silently. Her arms were crossed, brows were furrowed, and she was sporting a scowl on her face.

"I don't get an opportunity to be at ease without my parents looming over me, nor do I get the chance to meet with a..excuse the phrase, commoner around my age, who probably is less harmful than those other privileged people who share my ranks and hide daggers behind their smiles. So, please take that as a compliment and as my apology."

At this point, Sabine was thoroughly confused as to what was happening and what she was saying. She remained silent.

"Oh, come now. I've said my peace. Lighten up. I just want to have a regular, normal conversation."

"You sure as hell have a way of getting to that," Sabine said with some bitterness in her tone.

"Haha, relax, don't be angry," she said as she came face-to-face with Sabine. "I mean, you're cute when you're angry, but I think we can start over right?" She said, eventually extending her hand, looking for the boy to shake on it.

The subtly of the girl's interest in Sabine was lost on her, as she was very much perplexed and frustrated by their entire interaction. Nonetheless, Sabine no longer had the patience for her shenanigans and shook her hand, hoping that was the end of it.

"Good, but I do have a small request."

Sabine raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"I originally came on-board this morning to find a pendant that I seemed to have misplaced. It's a very important keepsake to me, and I've been looking for quite some time. Would you mind helping me?"

"You're serious?" she said in disbelief.

"Yes, very."

Sabine noticed the girl's face turn serious, no longer laughing, snickering, or showing any signs of amusement. She put her hand to her face and thought, "I can't believe she's actually asking for help now and I can't believe part of me wants to help her.."

"Look," Sabine scoffed, "You honestly seem sincere this time, but really, I have to get to work. My job is on the line here."

"I will vouch for you. I promise. You won't get into any trouble for your assistance. And, if you help me, I promise to leave you alone."

"Fine," she said with resentment.

"I knew you'd come around. Thank you. The last I saw it was in the lounge.." she said as she turned towards the rear of the ship, beckoning the boy to follow.

"Kriff...I can't believe I'm doing this.." she mumbled to herself, as she followed in the girl's direction.


	3. The Hunt

The two had been searching for well over an hour, with nothing to show for it.

"Are you even sure you lost it here on the ship and not some other place?"

"I'm positive. The only place we went to after we dropped the ship off was dinner. That's when I realized it was missing."

"I swear we've looked all over."

"It's here. I know it is."

Sabine rolled her eyes and shook her head. A scavenger hunt was not how she wanted to spend her morning, and she was eager to get back to more important things. Nonetheless, she kept up the search. "I really hope this is worth it.." she mumbled under her breath.

"So, have you always lived here?"

Sabine was hesitant to answer. "Now she thinks she can just start asking me about my past? I don't think so," she said to herself.

"Aaran?" she stopped and glanced over to him.

"Not really..."

"Where did you used to live?"

"Look, I don't really need to disclose my personal life to you. I barely know you."

"Apologies, you're right, so let's."

"Let's what?"

"Get to know each other."

Sabine wasn't really in the mood to chit chat. Already irritated by the girl's countless remarks, she was already reaching the limits of her patience."Listen, I'm sure you're having a great time taking to, how'd you term it? A commoner like myself? But unlike you, I have no interest in getting further acquainted with you."

"That hurt," the girl responded, looking honestly pained at the boy's remark.

Sabine realized her frustration was pouring out at the girl and that she'd need to reel it back in before the novelty of her company wore off and will be forced to face some serious trouble for her attitude.

"I'm sorry, that came out harsher than I intended."

"Indeed."

"I really didn't mean it that way."

"Oh, so you are enjoying talking to me as well?"

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Ouch."

"I mean.."

"Hrm? Then you are interested in knowing me better."

"No! I mean...we're not going to be friends once your father's ship is repaired."

"Wow Aaran Jing, you really know just how to make a lady feel unwanted."

"Wait, what? No...what are you taking about? I didn't..." 

"Ugh...she's totally messing with me again. I don't even understand what we're talking about anymore," she thought.

"What I'm saying is that when you leave with your family, we'll probably never cross paths again!" she argued, finally relieved to say what she meant, or at least she hoped was conveyed that way.

"You really are cute when you're flustered like that," the girl said laughing.

"What? I...Ok, that's it, I'm done here." She turned hastily, with her face slightly blushing and walked towards the cockpit.

"Ahahaha, Aaran...wait.." the girl called from behind.

As Sabine was making her way through the vessel, she noticed something green shining in the corner of the room. She knelt over close to it and picked it up. It was an emerald stone. It was quite heavy for a gem, but it was probably due to its size. As she turned around, she saw Pristella standing there.

"Aaran, I'm sorry."

She gave an exasperated sigh. "Whatever. Here, I think this is what you were looking for." She opened her hand and revealed the dark green gem that fit nicely into the palm of her hand.

"Oh my goodness! It is! Thank you!"

Sabine stood up and attempted to hand the pendant to the girl.

"Would you mind helping me?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a golden, delicate chain. She handed it over, turned around and lifted the hair from the neck.

"Sure", Sabine shrugged. Being that close, she noticed the scent of the girl's perfume. It was a gentle fragrance that she couldn't describe. It wasn't floral and wasn't overly sweet. Rather than just an actual fragrance, it just emitted a sense of warmth and was inviting. It reminded her of how inefficiently mere paint alone can fail to capture the true essence of being, or what emotions a particular image can give a person. There was always a disconnect between what a person can mimic versus what was there in reality. Lost in thought, she was finally broken out of it when Pristella spoke once more.

"I'm so thrilled to have this back. You have no idea what this means to me. I honestly thought I lost it forever."

The girl turned around and Sabine noticed how nicely the gem complimented the girl's bright green eyes. She took a mental note of the color. There was something in that shade of green that captivated her enough to want to include it in her palette for her next art project. The girl just seemed full of random inspiration.

Sabine shrugged again, trying to get back to reality. "Well, glad that's done. I really should get back to work now. I lost a lot of time as it is."

"I understand. I shall leave you to it, as promised. Would you mind escorting me back to my shuttle?"

Sabine stared at her quietly in disbelief, her one brow raised.

Pristella mimicked his face. "It's quite custom for a gentleman to escort a lady you know. Shall we?" She extended her arm, gesturing him to accept.

"I really CANNOT believe this girl...," she thought, finally caving in, to end this interaction.

She gave a slight nod and walked out with her towards the ramp. Pristella took hold of Sabine's arm as they made their way off the ship.  
   
Jawgs saw them leaving and yelled out, "Hey Jing, how's the repairs going this morning?"

"Well..."

Pristella interrupted. "I do apologize Mr. Jawgs, but I monopolized young Jing's time this morning. I had insisted that he help me find this pendant."

"Huh...I..see..."

"Please excuse my interruption. I'm sure my father wouldn't mind the delay."

"As you say my lady. Please give my regards to your parents."

"Thank you for understanding. I shall inform them of your cooperation. Good day, Mr. Jawgs."

"Good day, Lady Pristella."

She pulled the boy's arm, directing him out of the hangar.

* * *

   
"Okay, here we are."

"Indeed, this is me.."

Sabine waited to be dismissed. She wasn't going to give this girl any other reason to snap out some comment that would just irritate her again.

"You can be taught after all," she snickered.

Sabine looked to her with disregard. "You'll just always find something to say about what I do or don't do, won't you?"

"Haha, oh Aaran, I can't help it, my apologies."

"You know, I'm starting to believe that you're not really sorry."

"Hmmm," she said with playful tone.

"But truthfully, thank you for being my hero and finding my pendant. It means the world to me. I know. I shall give you a reward for your services."

"Nope, I'm good. Thanks. I don't get what the big deal is, but I'm sure you have a story about it," she said, pointing to the green stone around the girl's neck.

"I do, and I shall tell you next time. Allow me to take you to Jes Stephan's."

"Sorry?"

"It's a nice restaurant, downtown. I'll enlighten you with my story."

"No, I know _that_ place, I just don't see the need. I'm sure your story warrants your attachment, and thanks for the offer, but, I'll pass."

She scoffed. "That's another first. Aaron Jing, you may very well be the only person who's made that many 'firsts' with me."

"Princess, I don't get what your game is here, but I assure you, any of my 'firsts,' whatever those are, are not intentional."

"Hah, indeed. Then I shall educate you so that you can make sure not to be embarrassed in the future," she smiled playfully, fully taking joy in taunting him.

"No thanks, I'm good. Have a safe ride back."

"Tomorrow eighteen hundred. I won't take no for an answer. My shuttle will come pick you up."

"Wait..."

The girl ducked into the shuttle before Sabine could finish. "Ugh...why does this keep happening?"

* * *

Sabine walked back to the hanger, her gaze looking down at the ground, her hands in her pockets. She definitely was irritated at the girl for constantly manipulating her and her time, not to mention her constant taunts, so she contemplated how she was going to get out of the their meet-up tomorrow. As she was entering the hanger, she heard her boss shout out, making his way towards her.  
   
"Jing!"

"Yes sir?"

"I need to ask ya, boy. Are you making any moves on that lady?"

This came as a shock to her, as he threw his assumptions out so openly and out of the blue.

"What?! What do you mean....oh, no! No way!"

"Hah, had to ask, because it didn't look like that to me," the man said with a wink.

Sabine stood there, her face blushed.

"Alright, whatever then. Look kid, I don't know what's going on with ya and that girl, but whatever you do, do NOT mess things up. I want this partnership with the Count to work. Ya hear me?"

"Of course sir."

"Good. Now, humor the girl if you need to. She's quite the catch anyway, if ya know what I'm sayin," giving him a second wink, then turning back to his office.

Sabine, stood there, wide-eyed and still in shock about what Jawgs just said.

"Now get back ta work."

As evening approached. She realized she'd been distracted for the whole day, finishing only half of what she wanted to accomplish. She didn't know why, but she kept thinking about that girl, everything about her, their whole interaction, and how frustrated throughout it all, she had been.


	4. The Realization

“Welcome home Sabine.”

Kya had been recovering nicely. Her complexion had returned to normal. There was color back in her cheeks, the darkness around her eyes from exhaustion nearly invisible, and her smile, no longer forced. She had been able to get up and around now, which was good, since being stuck in bed that long started to cause her body to ache and be restless.

“Thanks Kya.”

Sabine retreated to her room, dropping her things, then made it to the refresher to get cleaned up.

* * *

_Later on at the dinner table.._

  


“Something is bothering you again. Isn't it?” Kya said, observing the girl's unenthusiastic and distracted behavior.

“No. I'm fine.” She said, twidling her fork around her plate.

“Hahaha, child, you may think that just because I'm old, and have only known you for a short amount of time, that I can't tell when you're lying.”

“It’s fine. It's nothing. it's stupid.”

“Hrmph. If it's so stupid it wouldn't bother you this much, now would it?”

She knew the old woman could read her like a book, but then again, as a young teenage girl, Mandalorian or not, emotions were hard control. She either showed too much or too little. She figured that there was no way Kya would drop the issue, so she gave into her request.

  


_After some time....._

“Well well, that girl does sound like she's trying to get under your skin,” Kya said, holding back a chuckle.

“What? What is it? Why does everyone find this amusing?”

“Hahaha, oh, my child, I believe your disguise is working much better than you had hoped,” she laughed, unable to hold back any more.

“Wait, what do you mean by….,” her words were cut off by the thought.

“Oh…Oh no. You really think she..”

Kya nods, “Very much so Sabine,” chuckling again.

“I thought that Jawgs was just giving me a hard time..”

Sabine thought about the entire day again, this time, picturing the conversation with the girl in another light. She facepalmed herself. “Gah, how could I be so dense. It totally makes sense now. Even her few comments that made me blush...I thought she was just teasing me like she had been.”

Now Kya was practically beside herself. “My, to be young..” She looked at Sabine who sat agast at her discovery.

Sabine had never really been in a situation like this before, even as a girl. Growing up, she, like the other young Mandalorians were kept busy with training and family duties. There was little interaction with anyone outside the clan too, and if there was, that definitely wasn’t the type of thing that happened. The same applied while she was at the Academy. Her and her classmates were in non-stop training. The instructors of her elite class made sure that there was no time for social disturbances.

“Kya...what do I do now?”

The old woman took pity on the girl, but at the same time, was amused at the whole situation. “Ah, young love,” she said under her breath, giving way to a sight smile.

“Kya, seriously. What am I supposed to do? She even told me to accompany her to dinner tomorrow!”

“Did she really? Sabine, you really didn't realize it, even then?” she asked in disbelief.

“I really thought she was just being annoying by forcing me to go, and maybe actually rewarding me for helping her find that necklace.”

The woman shook her head and pressed her lips together.

“Well then, you can either decline or play along, my dear.”

“Well, I know THAT…but, what if she actually gets pissed that I blew her off, then says something bad about me to Jawgs, and then I lose my job because I destroyed his chance in making a partnership with the Count?” she rambled off.

“And if I do go along with it…” she stopped herself. “It's too weird Kya! It's too weird!”

"Why is it weird?"

"It's...I've never done anything like this before. Not a date...not even liked anyone before...not like that anyway."

“Love is a delicate thing child. It can make anyone feel invincible, but it can also devastate the strongest of people.”

Sabine was confused, “I don't even like her Kya. Not even a little bit.”

“I know child, but she likes you and it seems like, for at least as long as you two have to face each other, that you believe she is controlling your destiny in some way. But, based on what you tell me, she doesn't appear to be malicious. It does sound like an innocent crush, and I can understand her for wanting to interact with someone outside her social circle.”

“How so?”

“I take it that Mandalorians don't face this type of social hierarchy and discourse?”

“Well, there really aren't Counts, or Kings or whatever, but we do have leaders who rank high in the clan…”

“And do the leaders befriend all those who aren't?”

“I guess so? I mean, I don't really know. We all just follow orders and handle our duties and responsibilities as we're told to. My mother..,” she caught herself before saying any more.

“I guess leaders don't have to like everyone either.”

“Indeed. There will always be some kind of discrimination between sentients of all species and classes. There will always be those that think little of others who aren't the same as they are, and will treat them unjustly, or use them to their advantage.”

“Like the Empire…” Sabine blurted out.

Kya sympathized with her response. 

"So naturally, you can understand how someone who deals with that day in and day out, would want to escape that world."

All of a sudden Sabine felt bad for Pristella. She had no idea what kind of people the girl had to deal with on a daily basis, but knowing that everyone around you seemed fake or flat out cruel, must be tough to live with.

The old woman noticed Sabine's facial expression change from a scowl to one of sympathy.

"Looks like you have the answer you are seeking, dear."


	5. The Date Part I - Connecting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A much longer chapter. Finally, the date! 
> 
> Enjoy!

The day had gone quicker than normal. Sabine had kept busy, focusing on her tasks and making up for lost time. Luckily, her head was back in the game, and minus the repairs that required the additional parts, she had caught up to everything.

She was putting back one of the panels in the cockpit when she heard clunky footsteps approach her. 

"Mr. Jing?"

Sabine looked up and saw a tall, "well-dressed" service droid. It's body resembled a human; a head, torso, two arms and two legs. It's color was a metallic silver, buffed to remove the shine. It "wore" a suit, which was merely paint and plastic sheathing mimicking that of a gentleman's attire.

"Speaking. And you are.."

"I am the Tekset's butler droid. Designation T-053," it said with its robotic and monotonous voice.

"Okay T-053, how can I help?"

"As a matter in fact young sir, it is I that will be helping you."

"Explain."

"Lady Pristella has assigned me the task of preparing you for this evening."

"Huh, of course she did. Thank you T-053, but I will be declining the offer."

"I apologize, Mr. Jing, but I cannot accept your refusal."

She just shook her head. "Tell her that I'm fine and that I'm not doing anything with you, and if you try to come near me, I will zap the ever living energy cells out of you with an ion pistol that I so happen to carry around with me to ward off any annoying droids!"

"I apologize, Mr. Jing but you leave me no choice."

Sabine looked up at the droid, who immediately displayed a holo image of Pristella.

"Giving T-053 some problems, are we Aaran?"

"Look princess, I agreed to go along and accompany you to dinner, but there is no way that I am agreeing to whatever it is you have planned with Butler Fancy Pants here."

Pristella chuckled, "That's very mature Aaran," she laughed again, "I'll give you originality points for that one."

Sabine rolled her eyes then crossed her arms against her chest.

"Really though, you must let T-053 help you get ready."

"And why _must_ I do that?"

"How much do you know about Jes Stephan's?"

"I dunno. I haven't really been near that place, ever. I've just heard of folks talking about their wonderful evenings there."

"Well, wonderful evenings do happen there, and it's because you get transported to a place of elegance, fine dining and wondrous music."

Sabine stood there listening, still skeptical on what this has to do with her cooperation with the service droid.

Pristella sighed, "Aaran, to be honest I'd really enjoy your company, and I know you don't really understand, but there are....rules."

"Rules? Rules for dinner?" she asked with skepticism.

"Simply put, yes," her tone, much more solemn.

Before Sabine could provide a retort, she remembered her conversation with Kya the night before, and the reason why she eventually accepted Pristella's invitation. _"I can understand her for wanting to interact with someone outside her social circle...There will always be some kind of discrimination between sentients of all species and classes..."_

"Kriff....I'm guessing these rules have something to do with that," she thought to herself.

Sabine uncrossed one arm, and put her hand to her face, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Alright, fine. You win."

The girl's face lit up with delight. "Thank you Aaron. T-053 will take care of you. I shall see you shortly."

* * *

After about an hour's time, Sabine arrived in front of the restaurant. As with majority of the buildings in the downtown area, their structures contrasted sharply against her home. Instead of reddish-tan clay buildings, they were built out of durasteel, with each establishment providing a custom exterior face. Some had full scale windows, tinted so that you can only see the other side from inside the building. Some were decorated in flashy neon lights. Others had a more simplistic facade, with simple holo imagery and a sign, while others were like Jes Stephan's.

From the exterior, it was decorated with lavish flare. The building was several stories high. The first floor was covered in windows that allowed anyone to view the elegance of the interior. It flaunted its high ceilings, expensive drapes, and large and glamorous chandeliers. You can see its guests congregating inside, their attire matching the elegance of the establishment. Outside, there were several more butler droids attending to the guests.

Sabine was instantly overwhelmed and nervous. She's never been downtown. She never had reason to be. And now, she understood why.

"Okay T-053, what now?"

"Lady Pristella had informed me that she will be in the lobby waiting for you. She said she'll stay close to the entrance."

"Right...thanks."

"Enjoy your dinner, Mr. Jing."

"This'll be something," she thought as she nodded to T-053. She pulled herself together and made her way towards the entrance.

She walked by the pair of service droids that manned the doorway. They seem to be scanning the crowd for any unwelcomed guests. Luckily for Sabine, there were no problems there. She made her way past a large number of guests and pulled off to the side.

"Guess it's a busy night.."

She looked around, absorbing the sights around her. She's never been in such a showy place before. The colors, the lights, everything was so different from every other place she's ever been. It topped the simplistic buildings on Mandalore, definitely surpassed the bland, gray and monotonous interiors of the Academy, and it was definitely more decorated and colorful than that of her own home or any other museum she had ever been in. Just then, Sabine was distracted by a voice and a tap on her shoulder.

"There you are," the girl said.

To say that Pristella was just as elegant and vibrant as everything else there, was an understatement. Her blonde hair was done up, pulled together into a bun without a single hair out of place. It allowed the femininity of her neck and face to stand out. The earrings she wore dangled from her ears. Its long delicate crystals glittered in the light. Her makeup complemented every feature of her face. The highlights around her emerald eyes were simple and defined, her pink blush accentuated her cheek bones, the fullness of her lips shined in a crimson red. Her dress was pure and dazzling; a long, red, bespoke gown, mildly accentuated with the same crystals from her earrings. It draped across her, hugging her body as any tailor-made dress should fit.

Sabine had never seen anyone up close that well dressed before, and she was captivated.

"Aaran, it's not nice to stare," she said, slightly blushing.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just...You look really beautiful."

Pristella chuckled, "My my Aaran, I think that may be the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

Taken aback, Sabine looked away, a bit embarrassed that her actions and words betrayed her.

"You don't look so bad yourself. I see T-053 did its job well."

Sabine was sporting a type of tux that somehow fit her body enough, that it felt like it was made for her, even though it was made for a young man. Her pitch black attire was constructed from expensive fabric, one that can be identified even from a distance, regardless that it was void of any color. Up close, the stitching bragged of its elegant detailing. Under the tux jacket, she wore a black collared shirt, which almost blended perfectly to the blackness of the jacket. A slim tie hung around her neck, flashing its bold red color against the sea of black. Above the jacket, a thin, dark gray cape hung from her, loosely draped diagonally across her left side. Her shoes, just as dark as her attire, differentiated itself with its glossy surface that shined in the light.

"Yea, well, I still argued with T-053 that this was way too many layers. Seriously, I thought I would die of heatstroke if it wasn't for Kalkovak's cool evenings."

Pristella giggled at the comment, causing Sabine to let out a slight laugh as well, which eased her tension a bit.

"Come, let us continue our conversation at our table." 

She took the the boy's arm and made their way to the front desk, who called for a butler droid to escort them to their reserved table.

The minute they were seated, a humaniod sentient approached their table. "Good evening, my Lord and Lady. What will be your pleasure for tonight?"

Pristella, aware of of the boy's unfamiliarity with the mannerisms and specifics of her social class, took control of any such interactions.

"We will have a bottle of Dolomar spice wine please."

"Excellent choice my lady. I will bring that over immediately."

"Spice wine?"

"Yes, Dolormor spice wine. It's quite popular among a lot of people. It's sweet flavor is pleasing to most of the galaxy's taste buds."

"I see..."

"Do you not drink, Aaran?," she asked inquisitively.

"I...," she hesitated with an answer, deciding if her answer would make her feel out of place. "I don't...haven't."

"That surprising. And remind me, how old are you?"

"I never mentioned it. Fourteen. And why are you asking?"

"I thought so. The legal age of drinking on this planet I believe is fourteen. I'd assume most boys would jump up at the opportunity to finally drink legally."

"Well, I'm not most boys."

Pristella chuckled, "No, you most certainly are not. Definitely not one I've ever met before."

The waiter returned with a bottle and two glasses. He popped the cork and poured a serving for them both.

"Enjoy. I will be back momentarily to take your order. Please take your time."

"Thank you," the lady said.

Sabine scratched the back of her head, debating whether or not she wanted to drink tonight. She's never done so before, so she was worried about how it may affect her.

"Here's to the beginning of our relationship," Pristella said, raising her glass to a toast.

Sabine followed, raising her glass to meet Pristella's, before stopping part-way. "Wait...what relationship?"

The girl just laughed. "I'm sorry Aaran, you know I'll continue teasing you this evening."

She scoffed at her reply. "Well, at least you're being upfront about it. To be honest, I expected no less."

"Hahaha, cheers."

Sabine followed through and toasted, unsure of what "relationship" the girl really meant. However, after last night's revelation with Kya, she assumed what she meant. She toasted anyway, because to her, it didn't really matter. What kind of relationship could they really forge in the few days that they had left, before the ship's repairs were completed? Anyway, she decided not to think too hard about it and just enjoy the evening. She really didn't need the additional nervousness of worrying about love.

Thinking about it, Pristella's snide and teasing comments no longer irritated or frustrated her. She knew that they were out to enjoy themselves and with it being off hours, the girl was no longer stealing away time from her duties. She did however, keep in the back of her mind the words she remembered the girl saying, _"I don't get an opportunity to be at ease without my parents looming over me, nor do I get the chance to meet with a..excuse the phrase, commoner around my age, who probably is less harmful that those other privileged people who share my ranks that hide daggers behind their smiles."_ As she thought about that more, she let her guard down a bit, allowing the full experience of the evening to flow, and with luck, they'll both have a great time.

"So then, let's determine what it is that we'll be dining on this evening."

Sabine looked over the menu. It might as well have been another language. 

"What...what is all of this...any of this? I can speak seven different languages and I can't figure out what any of this means," Sabine thought to herself as she tried to interpret the menu's offerings.

From the side, Pristella observed the boy's reaction to the menu. She loved to tease him. His flustered and easily aggravated responses were charming. Somehow, even though he was irritated at her, it never came across as harsh or mean. It was almost childlike and innocent. Their difference in social status also gave her a chance to be herself and not worry too much about the formalities and political tape that held her fragile society together. She did retain some boundaries though. She was willing to point out his lack of courtesy and manners, twist his phrases to confuse and misdirect them, but she was not willing to push so far as to make him feel inadequate around her or his surroundings.

"Aaran, do you like any specific kinds of foods?"

"Hm...not really. I eat almost anything. I like meat more though."

"Typical boy. Always about the meat."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," she said with a chuckle.

"Well then, I suggest the Kommerken Bistecca. It's similar to the common dish served in the galaxy, but it has a nice twist to it, incorporating a decadent sauce with noodles."

"That sounds good. I'll do that."

"Great, and I'll order my usual."

"Your usual?"

"Yes, it's this here," she pointed at his menu. "It's one of their speciality dishes, made from the finest ingredients only found here on Kalkovak."

"Gotcha."

"You can try some if you'd like. As a local here, you may enjoy the flavors."

"Thanks. Maybe."

The waiter eventually returned and took their orders, then collected both menus. Sabine was partially embarrassed when Pristella took it upon herself to order both their meals. Normally, it shouldn't be a problem, but with Sabine in character, she felt as if she should've stepped up and made the orders.

Pristella noticed that he was bothered by something, but wasn't sure what. Whatever it was, definitely made him feel uncomfortable, something she wasn't willing to pry into. Not yet anyway. Instead, she looked to change the mood.

"I hope you end up liking your dish. If not, I'll have to take you out again to make up for it," she said jokingly.

"I hope I do too. It sounded better than anything else on that menu."

"I doubt that. What would've been your second choice?"

"Um....I don't really remember what it was called."

"Describe it."

"I...I don't know. They all had similar ingredients: some meat, some veggies. You know."

"You didn't really understand the menu did you?" she said with her brow raised, using that mocking tone of hers.

Sabine sighed. "Nope, not one lick of it."

The girl laughed, "Not one lick you say?" she continued to chuckle. "Nothing at all?"

"I know, I know, another thing to make fun of me for, but no, the only thing that stood out to me was the amount of credits for each dish." Sabine quickly shut her mouth and looked away, feeling embarrassed that she had mentioned anything about the prices. She knew it was a touchy topic, mainly directed at her inability to afford anything there, and she didn't want to draw any attention to that. Unfortunately, now, she did.

"Aaran, please don't worry about that. It's my treat remember? This is my reward for your help yesterday."

"Right.."

Suddenly, the sting of feeling poor among the rest of those surrounding the young Mandalorian made her feel like she wanted to run away. Pristella was perceptive enough to catch on to the abrupt uneasiness the boy now felt and what caused it.

"Aaran, I'm sorry. Truly. I..." she choked on her words.

Sabine looked up at her, surprised at her sudden change in attitude.

"I'm sorry if this all makes you feel uncomfortable. I just wanted to treat you to some place nice. If it upsets you, we can just leave and go anywhere else that you'd like."

For once, it was Pristella that had a look of guilt, embarrassment and sadness to her face. Sabine was astonished at her sincerity and how she genuinely seemed to care for how she felt. It was definitely an unexpected side of her.

Sabine quickly changed the mood, not wanting to the girl upset any longer.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'm looking forward to eating here. I'm sure the fancy steak and noodles will knock my socks off."

Pristella let out a laugh, then smiled at him. Their eyes actually met, for once this evening, and in that one wordless moment, it had seemed that they finally understood each other.


	6. The Date Part II - Laughter and Smiles

Their food finally arrived and the aroma that wafted through the air was something Sabine had never smelled before. The dishes were placed before them, and Pristella was right, the steak looked amazing, its juices flowed on her plate, mixing in slightly with the thick, white sauce that covered her noodles. The vegetables that accompanied it, anchored the other side of the plate and added a nice balance to the dish.

"Bon Appétit," she said, tilting her head to the boy.

"Bon Appétit."

Sabine cut a slice of the steak and ate it. Its flavors, the tenderness of the meat, the juiciness of it, was not like any Kommerken Steak dish she's ever tried.

"How is it?"

"I have never tasted the steak done like this before. It's amazing."

Pristella was pleased to hear it, and was delighted to know that he was thoroughly enjoying his meal.

They sat in silence for a few minutes to dine on their meals, and only a few minutes, before the girl spoke again.

"Here, try some of this."

Sabine looked up to see Pristella holding a forkful of food, edging it towards her.

"Um...what..."

"Try it. It's a specialty and I know you'll really appreciate it."

"Wait...is this even okay? Taking a bite off of her fork? Isn't that like...like something only couples do?" Her mind raced at the idea, causing her cheeks to blush slightly.

Pristella knew exactly what she was doing. She expected this kind of reaction from him, and she found pleasure from his nervousness and started laughing.

"You're thinking way too hard about this. It's only food. I promise it's fully cooked. It won't attack or kill you," she said while still giggling.

She debated in her head. "Maybe it's innocent? Maybe I am over-thinking? Maybe she really just wants me to try out something new? This is ridiculous. Kriff, what the hell, why not." She leaned in and took the bite from the girl's fork.

Pristella looked at him in amazement, not thinking that he'd actually do it.

"What? What'd I do?"

"Ah...nothing," she forced small laugh, "How is it?"

"You're right, that is delicious. I can see how it's the best of Kalkovak. I am definitely familiar with those spices."

"See? Glad to hear it." 

They continued eating their meals, honestly enjoying their time together, even if Pristella continued to badger the boy throughout it all.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Sabine was completely full, not willing to eat another bite....of anything. She leaned back in her chair, putting her hand on her stomach.

"Best meal ever. Well, except for my mom's home-cooking, but you know."

"Your mom's food rivals Jes Stephan's?"

"Of course! I mean, maybe. No, but it's different..." She was caught, flustered again by her question.

"Hahaha, Aaran, don't hurt yourself. I was kidding. I know what you meant. There's nothing like home-cooked meals made by your mother."

"Exactly!" She responded, way more excitedly than she should have.

The waiter once again approached their table. "My Lord, are you finished with your meal? May I take your plate?"

"Ah, yes, I can hardly take another bite. Thank you."

The waiter smiled. "And you, My Lady, are you finished as well?"

"Yes, thank you."

"And shall I bring over another bottle of wine?" he asked Pristella, as he cleaned off the table.

"No. I believe we're fine for now. Perhaps later on this evening."

"Very well."

He took away the place settings and dirty dishes and headed back towards the galley.

Pristella looked over at Aaran. "Is something the matter?"

"We....we finished that entire bottle?"

She laughed at the question. "We did indeed. Actually, you drank most of it."

"What? No...did I?"

"Throughout dinner, our waiter kept coming by to refill our glasses. You had apparently been consuming yours at a much faster pace than I, thus.." she motioned an open handed gesture to him.

"Oh...well, kriff."

"Aaran!" she gasped.

"What?"

"That language. You need to keep that down. People don't really appreciate that manner of vulgarity here," she said seriously, but obviously humored at the slip of his tongue.

"Ah...right...sorry."

"That's a first."

"Really? That again?"

Pristilla couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay, just so you know, all those 'That's a first' moments since we've met, I don't understand nearly what half of those referenced, including just now."

Mental filters loosened. Cheeks turning red. Head was light. The alcohol was starting to do its damage.

"Ahahha," Pristella continued, gently wiping away the tears that were forming in her eyes. "Okay, fair enough, I'll try to explain next time. However, I don't remember all of them, unfortunately, so I can't point out the past incidences. You seriously hit a new high for me."

"Okayyyy, fine. So what did I say this time then?"

She chuckled, then explained. "I haven't heard you or anyone curse before, in my presence anyway, and to be frank, I think I've only heard that word said once before, by a man that my father had met many years ago."

"Wait, you don't curse princess?"

"Okay, hold that thought for a minute. I've been meaning to ask. Why do you keep calling me 'princess'? You know I'm not one, right?"

Sabine laughed, then a large grin formed on her face as she placed her elbow on the table, then leaned her head onto her hand.

"Because...you're all princess-like! The fancy dresses, the proper talking, the manners, you know...all that."

"Aaran, most of that is just etiquette," she smiled at him.

"Exactly!"

Unbeknownst to her, she was now talking much louder than before.

"Shhh," Pristella giggled, "You're being overly excited about this."

"That's totally your fault."

"My fault?"

"Yes...this," she said as she picked up her wine glass and sipped the remainder of it.

"And, you're not to blame?"

"Nope, all you princess," Sabine responded.

They both laughed and continued their banter for another half hour.


	7. The Date Part III - The Romance

Eventually, Sabine started to feel the effects of the alcohol a bit more. Her head became hazy, her words slurred more, and her body's reaction was much slower. Luckily, she somehow remained coherent enough to be able to stand and walk unassisted. Barely.

Pristella led the boy to the top-most floor of the building. There, the room was mostly dark, barely lit by small candles that were littered throughout the space, with plentiful lush seating areas that created different social sections around the floor. The tone there was much quieter, much more intimate. The music was jazzy in nature, playing respectfully into the background, allowing guests to chat to each other without competing for attention.

"Where...are we?"

"They call it the Reflection Deck. People come up here to have more intimate discussions with their party, or just come out and enjoy the view." As she said this, she took hold of the boy's hand and led him to the back of the room, towards a large pair of sliding glass doors. The moment they had gotten close, the door's sensors slid the door open, leading them to a balcony that oversaw the city.

"Whoa...this is amazing." Sabine grabbed a hold of the railing, avoiding a bit of vertigo. She stood in awe, staring at the bright lights of the city. The buildings blended into its surroundings, including the horizon and the sky. The stars and moons hung over them, casting a light glow onto the balcony. The air was cool and fresh, with a gentle breeze that came naturally from being at such a height.

"I thought you'd like to see this," Pristella said, nudging close to the boy, meeting shoulder to shoulder.

Sabine looked over at her. She instinctively pulled away slowly, took off her cape and draped it over the girl's shoulders. Pristella was a bit shocked by the boy's gestures, and yet smiled at his thoughtfulness.

"You looked cold, and I still have an awful amount of layers, thanks to T-053," she said with a smile.

Pristella appreciated the gesture dearly, but still managed to let out a small giggle at his remarks.

"Thank you. It looks like you do have some chivalrous manners to you after all," she said with a smirk.

Sabine just smiled and let the girl take yet another jab at her.

Eventually, the girl leaned back onto the boy's shoulder.

Sabine didn't think much of it. She was clearly inebriated, the girl was cold, and the wondrous cityscape vied for her attention. For a moment, they just stood there in silence.

After a quite some time, the effects of the alcohol continued to hit her. She was no longer giddy though. Her energy was slowly draining away. The relaxed atmosphere they shared was lulling and needless to say, her control for balance was shaky at best.

"Damn that spice wine," she managed to spew out.

Pristella reminded him of his language by elbowing him in the rib, effectively causing him to struggle to maintain his balance and started to tip in the opposite direction.

"Okay there. Don't be a hero. I think it's time you had a seat," she said, grabbing onto his arm to help him keep upright.

"But, I thought you said I was your hero?" Sabine responded, her eyes glazed over and her face sporting a somewhat goofy grin.

If there was any doubt that Sabine was drunk, there isn't any now. Clearly, her filters were completely off and her mind had no control.

Pristella just smiled embarrassingly at him. "You are my hero."

Sabine turned to face away from her and back to the view, but just then, she felt the girl pull her close. The next thing she felt was Pristella's soft lips pressing against her own. She was fully captivated by it. Maybe it was her heightened senses or her lack of awareness, but she didn't fight it. Not at first anyway. Eventually, she regained some consciousness of the situation and pulled away. Quickly looking back towards the skyline.

"I'm...I'm sorry Aaran, I didn't mean to offend you. That was inconsiderate of me to assume you felt the same," she forced a short laugh. "After all, I did nothing but taunt you since the day we met." She said all this to try to mask her feelings, but in the end, she was slightly disappointed by the boy's reaction and partially embarrassed by her own.

Sabine stole a glance at the girl, whose eyes met the floor, her arms wrapped around herself, clutching onto the cape that gave her warmth, before returning her sights to the view, deep in thought, trying to rationalize and understand what had just happened.

"I....what do I say? WhadoIdo?" the voices in her head slurred just as bad as it would have, if they came out of her mouth.

Without giving her brain another moment to think, she blurted out some words, while still staring into the skyline.

"I....I'm not offended," she struggled to say those words as clear as she possibly could.

The girl raised her head to look at him.

Sabine could see her from the corner of her eye and a wave of emotions hit her. Most of them, she couldn't comprehend, but it caused her to lose whatever cool she had left and instead, it filled her with anxiety. She hesitated to speak.

The silence between them became deafening. They both wanted to speak. They both wanted to say something, but their words failed to come out. Neither one knew what to do next. Sabine on the other hand, also struggled to stand straight, and wanted to just sit somewhere.

Though the gravity of the situation was sincere, it was slightly comical to see Sabine grasping onto the railing, wavering from side to side as she struggled to stand, fighting against the breeze that pushed her in opposite directions. She almost lost that battle a few times. Luckily, Pristella was there to help.

"Okay, you really need to have seat before you hurt yourself." 

She took his arm and selfishly held his hand, satiating her desire to be close to him, even if the silence kept them adrift. She led him around the corner, where a couple of empty benches sat. She directed his movements, making sure he actually made it onto the bench.

The minute she sat down, Sabine slouched back and leaned into the concrete wall behind her, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Now this is what I'm talkin 'bout."

Pristella couldn't help but giggle at his slurred words.

They sat in silence once more. At one point, the girl swore she heard sleep noises from him. She looked over and saw his head leaned back against the wall and eyes closed. There was something so innocent about him that she loved. She decided to move closer to him, and lean into his chest.

* * *

Sabine shifted to sit herself up, her neck was tight and shoulders were tense.

Half-awake she looked around her. It was still dark, but there was enough light in the sky that it caused her to squint. She fought her heavy eyelids, trying to get a grasp of where she was. As she twisted her body, she felt a heavy weight on her and looked down, seeing Pristella laying on her.

Her mind jolted awake. The adrenaline rushed to her head, washing away any ounce of sleepiness from her.

Trapped beneath the girl, she contemplated what to do. She was nervous. She didn't remember falling asleep, nor did she remember the girl laying on her. 

"Oh kriff, I hope she didn't notice.."

Sabine's shifting and shortened breathing caused Pristella to wake. 

The girl laid her hand on the boy's thigh and pushed herself to sit upright. She rubbed her eyes and stared at him.

"You're finally awake," she said, her eyes still adjusting.

"I...can say the same for you."

"Hah, I have to admit, I didn't think I'd be one of those people that would fall asleep out here. Maybe all I needed was you to comfort me," she said teasingly.

Sabine was taken aback. Barely awake and she's already hitting the nail on the head.

"Um....you're welcome."

Sabine realized that somehow, Pristella hadn't noticed anything....different about her physique. One she was honestly relieved about. She definitely did not have the mindset to explain herself if that conversation came up now.

The girl looked at her watch, blinking rapidly to help her eyes focus.

"My, it's almost past two in the morning...."

"Two in the morning??!!"

She laughed, "Don't worry, my shuttle will drop you off at home. We should probably get going though, before it gets any later."

Sabine nodded and tried to stand up from the bench. She was less hazy than before, and had better control over her balance, except now, her butt and legs were very much asleep, causing her to appear like she was still very much drunk.

"Are....you alright?"

"Yep...I'm fine," she said as she jumped around a bit, trying to get her body back into a stable state, earning her a giggle from her companion. Eventually, she succeeded in sorting herself out.

The made their way to the first floor of the establishment, and into the shuttle. They traveled in silence, both exhausted, and treading lightly as to not upset the other before they parted ways.

Sabine felt the girl's hand touch hers. It was soft and delicate, but cold.

"I hope this is alright," she whispered as she leaned into him.

Sabine was exhausted, her mind still recovering from the effects of the alcohol, and the sudden adrenaline jolt from earlier, no longer provided any help. She had no energy and let the girl do as she wished, besides, it felt surprisingly comfortable.

"Yea, it's alright," she whispered back. At that, the girl held tighter onto the boy's hand.

* * *

After a while, they were nearing Sabine's home. Howver, she didn't want Pristella to know exactly where she lived, so she instructed them to drop her off a few blocks from where she actually lived.

"You live here?"

"You could say that."

She looked at the boy with skepticism, but left him at it. She too didn't have much energy or will to argue. 

The shuttle doors opened and Sabine climbed out. When she turned around, she was surprised to see Pristilla right behind her.

"Um.....Princess I think you forgot that we were dropping me off first, not you."

Pristilla playfully nudged him on the shoulder. "I know that. I just...wanted to say goodnight."

"Oh."

She grabbed the boy's arm gently and pulled him behind the shuttle. "Thank you for a wonderful evening. Honestly, it was the best night I've had in....I can't even remember when," she said with a smile.

"You know...surprisingly, I enjoyed myself as well."

"Surprisingly?" she said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well...you know...considering our initial interaction, I wasn't exactly looking forward to being taunted all night long."

The girl nodded.

"But...thank you too. Tonight has been...fun...and definitely interesting." 

Sabine's eyes drifted to the shuttle, shying away from the memories of the intimacy they both shared earlier that evening.

"It has been, for me as well." Pristilla edged her way close to the boy, face-to-face, so close that he could hardly turn away from her. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Sabine panicked for a moment, not really expecting this, but somehow, instinctively, she placed her arms around the girl's waist, holding her gently and kissing her back, enjoying the intimate moment that they were sharing.

After some time, they stepped away from each other, both sporting shy smiles. Eventually, Pristilla headed towards the shuttle door. "Goodnight Aaran," she said in a loving voice.

"Goodnight princess."

The shuttle doors slid shut and drifted away until they were out of her sights. She stood there momentarily, overwhelmed with feelings about what had just happened. She stared into the darkness, unable to keep back her childish grin from appearing.

* * *

Reaching home, it was almost three in the morning.

"Boy, am I glad I'm not working tomorrow," she said to herself.

She crept into her bedroom. The house was dim, no lights were on. The moons' glow was all that lit the space. She got to her bed, took off her boots and laid there. There was no energy to even get undressed. She flopped over, hearing a crinkling sound next to her face. She had rolled over on a note.

_"My dearest Sabine. If you are reading this, then you are way past your bedtime, young lady. I had hoped to catch up with you before the day's end, but this old woman can no longer stay up as late as you youngins. I hope you enjoyed your evening. I look forward to hearing all the details in the morning. Love Kya."_

"Well, tomorrow will be an interesting conversation indeed.."

Sabine laid her head on her pillow, and as her eyes closed, all she saw was the emerald eyed girl. She remembered the touch of her hands, the softness of her lips; her first kiss.


	8. Follow Your Heart

"Ughhh..my head..."

Despite Sabine getting to bed as late and as exhausted as she did, she still woke up only four hours later. She rolled out of bed, grabbed her black scarf and wrapped it around her neck and head, letting act as a hood. 

"The sun is so kriffing bright today.." she said annoyed.

She stumbled into the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

"Good morning dear. You're up and about early this morning. I was just about to prepare some breakfast, would you like some?"

"Mmmmhmmm.."

Kya stood next to Sabine in the kitchen, looking the girl over as she drank the glass of water. She smirked at the sight of the young girl, dressed in a wrinkled black tux and a dark hood covering her head.

"Looks like someone had a good time last night," she said, chuckling to herself.

"It was good," she said with a grumble. Her head was pounding and the pressure behind her eyes made everything excruciating to deal with. She didn't much care to talk, but acknowledged Kya's inquiry so that she wouldn't sound rude.

Sabine put down her water glass and stumbled back to her room.

* * *

A few hours later Sabine got up from bed, feeling a tad better. Remnants of dull throbbing in her head still lingered, and her eyes no longer felt like she wanted gauge them out. She made her way to the refresher and took a long hot shower.

With the hot water raining on her, it relaxed her muscles and eased the pain in her head. The steam rose as she stood there, her hands pressed up against the wall, soaking through her hair and running down her body. Once her mind relaxed, she closed her eyes, remembering the night before.

"That really did happen, didn't it?"

She remembered Pristella. She remembered seeing her at the lobby, the way she dressed, the beauty that radiated off her, she looked elegant; a complete work of art. She remembered having a good time, laughing throughout dinner, though, truth be told, she couldn't recollect any specific part of their conversations. At least not right now. There was just too much banter.

She remembered seeing the bright skyline. The luminosity of the lights that shown on every building, combining their own contribution to the collective cityscape that pressed against the dark sky. The moons, the stars, everything, was so picturesque. 

However, the moments thereafter became muddled. She remembered moments, but not the why or the how. The most vivid of those involved their kiss.

Sabine jumped back at the thought; her eyes opened quickly.

The moment replayed in her mind as if she could feel everything as clearly as in that instant. Their bodies pressed together, the warmth that it created, the scent of the girl's perfume, Pristella's soft and gentle hands, pulling at her wrists to bring them closer, and finally, the soft and gentle kiss they shared, one that seemed to have lingered on for eternity.

Sabine's heart raced at the thought, and emotions ran through her; her mind racing through everything. She wasn't sure what to think of it. It was her first kiss after all. 

She shook her head, trying to jumble those thoughts and emotions and think about it more rationally. Unfortunately, it didn't work. With each momentary reprieve brought on by each shake, her mind cleared, but the moment she stopped, the imagery and emotions once again filled her mind and her heart.

Frustrated, she turned off the shower and got dressed.

She walked into the kitchen, with Kya nowhere in sight. Walking over to the counter, she pulled out a glass and poured a gracious serving of Jogan juice into it. As she shut the door of the refrigerator, she saw a note taped to it:

_"My dearest Sabine. It seems that last night's activities left you nearly paralyzed in pain this morning. My only guess is that you had more than your share of alcohol, leaving you with what I can only guess is your very first hangover. We will talk about that when I get back, young lady. In the meantime, I left your breakfast in the fridge. Feel free to reheat and nourish yourself. Drink plenty of fluids. I went to the market to pick up some items for dinner this evening and will be back soon. Love Kya."_

"Right...hangover.." she said as she gulped down more of her juice. She reopened the fridge and saw the plate of food that Kya had mentioned, and heated it up.

* * *

She had nearly finished her breakfast, when Kya walked in the door.

Sabine immediately stood up from the table and went over to help the old woman with her bags.

"Nice to see that you're alive," the woman said teasingly, as she handed Sabine the groceries.

Sabine gave a look of remorse. Her head hung low with her eyes focused on the bags at the woman's sides. Her lips pressed together in a line, slightly at an angle. She received the bags in both hands and mumbled, "I'm sorry," under her breath, then quickly turned around to bring the items to the kitchen counter.

As the young Mandalorian put away the supplies, Kya came up beside her and kissed her on the cheek. 

"It's quite alright, my dear," she said, smiling wholeheartedly. "Did you finish your meal?"

"Almost."

"Then go ahead and finish, young lady. I can take it from here."

Sabine nodded her head and went back to the table. It was silent thereafter until Kya sat beside her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better. I still have a bit of a headache, but nothing bad."

"Well, you should take some pain relievers after your meal. It'll help."

Sabine nodded.

Kya watched the girl twirl her food with her fork, eventually taking in a bite. Clearly, last night's events were weighing on her mind, half still focused on understanding everything, and half on how to tell Kya. And not a moment too soon, the older woman uttered the words she expected to hear.

"So, tell me about last night. How did it go?"

Sabine had rehearsed a number of responses before Kya returned home. It ranged from being as cryptic as possible, to being as open as possible. Each on standby, depending on the mood of the situation.

"It was good."

"Gah, 'It was good?' No way she'll buy that. I know it. She's going to ask more now. Why didn't I just say what I had planned on..." The voices in her mind argued with each other.

"I'm sure you didn't expect me to be content with that response, do you?"

Kya wasn't upset, but was now more intrigued than ever. She expected only one of two cases; either Sabine returned home ecstatic or quite angered about the whole situation, neither of which was the worried look Sabine wore. She let the girl speak at her own pace, even if that meant bouts of silence to allow her to contemplate and form her thoughts.

After a while, Sabine sat up in her chair and took a deep breath. "I had a wonderful time Kya, really. I can't even begin to express how much fun last night was." A large smile formed on her face as she said this, once again, recollecting last night's events. However, after a moment, it faded just as quickly.

The look on her face was genuine, but Kya was skeptical.

"So why the glum look then? There's something else, isn't there?"

Sabine put her hands to her face, and ran it down in frustration.

"Yes, there's more," she grumbled under her palms.

In a quick motion, she slammed her hands down to the table, rattling her dishes, and startling Kya.

"She kissed me Kya!" she said, taking a deep breath again, as if saying those words took everything she had to say it.

"Oh did she now?"

Sabine just nodded, her head hung low, elbows bent on the table, with her hands pressed against the sides of her head.

"And then what happened?"

A moment of pause.

"I...eventually pulled away, but...I was drunk and....I felt so many things...I don't know..."

The poor girl was still obviously buried deep in confusion. Hours and hours had elapsed since the moment the two girls kissed, but it still left Sabine in a shaky and overwhelmed state.

Sabine looked up, as she felt the weight of Kya's hand on top of her head.

"It's alright dear. A kiss is a very special moment and it can captivate the heart and make the mind fill with endless nothings. It's natural to feel the way you do. Tell me what you're feeling."

She shook her head slightly and let out a sigh. She didn't even know how to begin explaining.

"I don't...I don't know," she muttered.

Kya leaned back in her chair for a moment, before speaking once more.

"You know, when I first met my husband, we were both workers on a nearby farm. I was in charge of the animals; feeding them, cleaning them, and picking up the eggs and milk from others. Liam, was in charge of handling the crops, working the machinery and lifting heavy objects. Ahh, I still remember watching him one day. This strong and handsome man, carrying heavy bails of hay towards the barn. In that moment, I knew I had a crush on him."

Sabine kept her head low, listening to Kya's story, but squirmed at the thought that she'd have to listen to some details of the woman's love affair. Kids.

"To cut to the chase, there was one night we were both working late and ending our chores for the day. I was picking up in the barn, when I heard him ask if I needed any help before he left. I shook my head no, and wished him a good night. I thought that was the end of it," she laughed. "Little did I know that Liam had other plans. He actually startled me when he lent a hand out, handing me one of the sheering tools I had accidentally left out."

  


_"I think you forgot these."_

_"Oh, Liam. Heavens, you scared me. I thought you left."_

_"Nah. I couldn't leave a pretty lady like yourself alone out here. It's pitch black outside."_

_Kya blushed at the thought of Liam's concern for her._

_"Oh hush, I'll be just fine. I'm an able bodied woman you know."_

_"Oh I believe that."_

  


"Okay, okay, stop. I get it, you guys kissed," Sabine blurted out, hoping that the woman wouldn't continue detailing the events of that night.

Kya let out a hearty laugh, then wiped away the tears in her eyes.

"Oh, my dear, if you only knew..."

"No! No! I get it!," she shouted again while shaking her head vigorously.

Kya couldn't help but laugh. She knew that most children were not willing to listen to their parents speak about their encounters with love, but hopefully, it'd force Sabine to open up more about her own troublesome situation.

She wiped away her tears once more. 

"In the end, yes, we did kiss," Kya said, her laughter now controlled. "The emotions that swept through me was more than I had anticipated, and more than I could explain. The only thing I knew was that I loved every moment of it. I was excited and happy, and I didn't want it to end."

Sabine slid her face into her hands. 

"Well, at least she didn't give me more details," she shook her head slightly at the thought. But, she did think about Kya's description of her emotions. The fact that she was happy, excited and loved it. 

"Did I feel that way too?" she thought to herself. Then, she remembered the second time they kissed that evening, before they said their goodbyes. She remembered feeling immersed in the moment, then remembered that she actually took part in the activity. _She_ pulled the princess closer, _she_ leaned into the kiss, _she_ didn't pull away.

"I...I think I felt the same?"

"No, but...how could that be. I never liked this girl to begin with. It just...it just started out as a dinner. I never planned on this." Sabine's words started to ramble out of her mouth. Her words more directed at herself than to Kya.

"Sabine, love works in mysterious ways. It can happen at a moment's notice, without any warning."

"No! Kya, I don't love her, so that can't be what this is."

"Hrm...," she said in a sing-song manner. "Are you sure? Perhaps it hasn't escalated to love for you just yet, but clearly, you've developed a crush on the girl."

Sabine's gaze jumped up at Kya, surprised by her words.

"No...that can't...really?"

The old woman nodded and let out a smile. "I'm afraid so dear, but that's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm sure you're feeling many things right now, but you must know how you felt about the intimate moment you two shared, do you not? What does your heart tell you?"

Sabine thought about it more with Kya's words guiding her. Maybe she didn't love the girl, not yet anyway, but she did love the feeling of the kiss, and the way that the warmth of their bodies together was exciting and comforting at the same time. In fact, she realized that she wanted more of it, she just couldn't understand how she felt about Pristella as a whole, outside of the friendship that they had formed quickly that night. A friendship that clearly has escalated to more. Whatever it is.

"But...Kya....she's a girl..." she said, her head lowered once again.

Kya leaned towards the girl and lifted her chin. "Sweetie, that doesn't matter. It never matters. What matters is what your heart tells you."

She was slightly relieved to hear those words, words that justified and perhaps explained the feelings she struggled to describe.

"I know, and it's not that she's a girl. I'm ok with that. It's actually pretty normal where I come from. But Kya...she....I'm not who she thinks I am," she said, with defeat in her voice.

"Well dear, now _that_ is something that needs to be handled with care."

"But how?"

The old woman gave her a sympathetic smile. "A crush, love, whatever you may call it, is part of life. There will be heartbreaks along the way, some can crush you, but some, may even be worth the pain. You need to make a choice, dear. This girl, her involvement in your life, seems temporary from what you tell me. Am I right?"

The girl nodded.

"So, from where I stand, I see no point in two young people having to endure any drama that may come out of disclosing your little secret — unless you find it absolutely necessary. You both should enjoy each other's time while you have it, and when the time comes, you two may be able to part in an amicable manner. As you've mentioned before, you may not even see this girl again."

Sabine stayed silent.

"Now, this isn't to say that your separation will be any easier on either one of you. The feelings you two share will be difficult to face once the time starts to draw near. But," she pauses briefly. "You both already knew of your limited time together, so as long as you keep that in mind, it should make things a tad easier. Does that make sense?"

"Yea..."

"Good. Now stop wasting your time trying to figure out everything and just do what feels right. Follow your heart, but take heed, my child. Remember what I told you."

At that, Sabine nodded her head and gave Kya a joyous smile.


	9. A Blossoming, Temporary Relationship

The next day, Sabine was eager to get to work. This time, it wasn't for the job itself, but in hopes of seeing Pristella again. She didn't know if she would see her that day, but the idea lingered in her mind.

Sabine was working in the underbelly of the ship, replacing the damaged portions of the shield generator. She was able to remain focused on her tasks, like her mind had been trained to do for so many years. The thoughts of Pristella didn't really weigh on her as it did the first day they met. At first, the unexpected interruptions from the girl jostled any form of concentration she had, but now, without those unexpected distractions, she was able to prioritize her thoughts. It wasn't until she had completed the repair, that the girl came to mind.

"I wonder if she's coming by at all today," she wondered. "Maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up. Kya did say to keep in mind that everything we have is temporary. But still.."

The idea of love was still such a foreign concept to Sabine. She wasn't exactly sure how to handle her emotions. She didn't want to get wrapped up in it, that much she knew. Kya's words from the night before weighed heavily on her mind.

"It's temporary. It's all temporary. It doesn't matter what happens. It's temporary," she kept thinking to herself, trying to wipe away her emotions from clouding her judgement and playing with her mind.

She kept drilling those words into her head, allowing her to clear her mind and accept that everything, including her crush on the girl was in fact, temporary.

The day went on and as time passed without Pristella's presence, the easier it became for Sabine to move past it. She worked diligently, finishing repair after repair, completing the day's tasks much earlier than she had expected.

"I think one more day's work should finish this girl," she said, patting the durasteel wall of the vessel. She wiped her brow, collected her tools and made her way to the main floor above. Sabine headed towards the cockpit to collect her datapad and check off her completed tasks, while taking a cloth from her pocket and wiping down her face.

"I didn't think you were ever coming up," she heard a voice say. Startled, she turned around and saw Pristella sitting on one of the tufted chairs that decorated the common room of the ship.

"Princess," she said surprised. "I...I didn't know you were up here."

The girl just smiled innocently back.

"Well, I didn't want to disturb you. I figured I've done quite enough of that the first time around," she said as she made her way towards the boy.

"Besides," she added, as she dusted off the boy's right shoulder, "I don't think Jawgs would buy any other excuse I could give," she said with a laugh.

"Hah, yea right princess. You're the client to him, and a very important client in fact. He'd have to accept anything you or your parents had to say." Sabine said that with such bravado, but deep inside, her nerves were a wreck. Her eyes couldn't meet the girl's, directly.

"Aren't I an important person to you as well?" she asked with a flirtatious tone.

Sabine rubbed the back of her neck. "Ah...well....yea...of course. Any important client of Jawgs is an important client to me," she responded with a nervous laugh. Her heart raced, her stomach twisted, her chest tightened; it was almost impossible to form any complete thoughts.

"Kriff....why am I freezing up like this.." she thought to herself.

Pristella right away saw the boy in the usual, flustered state of mind, and took advantage it. 

"Is that all I am? A client?" she said as she took the cloth out of the boy's hand and gently wiped away some dirt off his cheek.

She started to panic. She didn't know why, but she knew what panicking was. This was panicking.

Sabine could feel the heat radiating off her face, as she swallowed hard and didn't say a word. Her eyes looked at the girl's face momentarily, then drifted to the girl's pink lips, but as soon as she realized she had done so, she pulled away suddenly and turned her head. Her words, still escaped her.

"Oh come now Aaran, no retort?" she said as she moved towards the boy once more.

"I'm...I'm sorry princess, I..." Sabine's mind continued to race, trying to find some suitable explanation for her lackluster responses. But before she could say anything else, the girl's arms wrapped around her neck and pressed her lips softly to meet her own.

Sabine was caught off guard, but then followed suit as she felt the comforting warmth of the girl's lips and body against hers. She once more reacted instinctively, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist, allowing them both to get lost in that passionate moment.

After it had passed, Pristella pulled away, staring into the boy's eyes, then shying her glance to the ground, taking hold of the boy's hands.

Somehow, Sabine's nerves had calmed, but only slightly. Her heart still raced and there was still a lump in her throat, leaving her speechless.

"Aaran....I've missed you," she said shyingly, rubbing her thumbs against the boy's knuckles.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you since that night," she continued and let out a sigh. "It was torture not being able to see you yesterday."

Those words rang in Sabine's ears. It was more than she herself could even contemplate saying, but she realized that it was exactly what she had felt as well, clarified only by her talk with Kya the night before.

"I....I missed you too," she finally responded.

"Ahh, so you can speak after all," the girl chuckled, with a smirk appearing on her face.

For once, the typical banter the girl provided was music to her ears, allowing her to slightly relax. 

"I did speak, before, remember?" Sabine said arching her brow, with her lips pressed, finally returning to some normality.

"Indeed you have," the girl responded, with a loving tone.

* * *

"Uggghh....how did it end up like this. What do I do? What do I do?" Sabine thought, returning back to her panicked state.

She and Pristella were in the shuttle on the way to her home.

"No, this is fine....I just....I just have to act normal. It'll be ok.."

  


_Shortly after their kiss, back on the ship... ___

_"So....what brings you here?" Sabine asked._

_The girl's face showed disbelief at the boy's question. "Aaran, we already established that, remember?" She blushed slightly at the thought._

_"NO, NO! I mean...what brings you...ah kriff..."_

_The girl started to giggle. "Oh Aaran, I honestly don't think I can get over how easily flustered you can get."_

_"It's all your fault you know," Sabine said rubbing the back of her neck and staring off to the ground._

_"I do, and it's endearing," she said as she leaned in and kissed the boy once more._

_"But, to answer your question, I was wondering if you'd like to spend some time together this evening," she said, whispering into his ear, practically causing Sabine to melt into her hands._

_"I...um...that...that sounds like a great idea."_

_"Good, but first and foremost, are you done with your work here?"_

_"Uh...yea...yea, I'm done. I just need to check off my completed tasks and checkout, and then..."_

_"And then...?"_

_"I'm sorry princess, but, I should probably get home first and get cleaned up," she said with a slight embarrassment._

_"Oh I won't judge. But, it probably would be best to do so if we wanted to go anywhere decent," she said jokingly._

_Sabine nodded in agreement._

_"Alright then, you run along and do what you need to do and my shuttle can take you home."_

_Sabine acknowledged and did what needed to be done, then swiftly made it to the designated shuttle. As she entered, she was shocked to see Pristella there._

_"Coming?" she asked._

  


"Well, at least Kya knows about her, and my situation. Yea...maybe this is okay. Kya can cover for me on the fly. I hope..." Sabine thought as she tried to mentally prepare herself and build up courage as they approached her home. 

"Hm, Aaran, this wasn't the place we dropped you off the other night." 

Luckily, this was the one question Sabine was fully prepared to answer. For once. 

"Right, yea. I...well after dinner I felt like I needed to take a walk home. You know, get my head straight and breathe some fresh air." 

The girl nodded, accepting his answer. 

As they exited out of the shuttle, Sabine offered her hand to assist the girl out, which she happily accepted. 

They entered the building, making their way up the lengthy staircase and stopped at the front door, with Sabine taking a deep breath. 

"Okay, here goes nothing." 

"Kya? I'm home, I brought a friend," she said quickly, hoping to to catch Kya's attention before the older woman called out to her. 

"Oh, hello Sa...son," she said, catching herself as she eyed Sabine's guest. 

They had walked in on the old woman preparing dinner. She put down whatever it was she was working on, and walked over to greet them. She leaned to give Sabine a hug, then kissed her on the cheek. 

"Kya, this is Pristella. This is the girl I talked to you about." 

"Ah, of course, Lady Pristella. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My boy has told me so much about you," she said with a laugh. 

At this, the girl looked over at him. "Oh he did, did he?" 

As if they were both ganging up on her, Sabine's face started to blush, not knowing how to respond. 

"Oh he has. But, I probably shouldn't embarrass him any further," she said in a quiet tone, with her hand hiding the side of her mouth as if she was sharing a secret to the girl. 

Pristella just laughed. "Oh, I'm sure he can handle it." 

"Well...this is a great start..." Sabine thought, succumbing to the fact that she may have to put up with twice the banter for the evening, but at least it was going well so far. 


	10. A Moment At Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus Chapter for you guys. Found this bit in my drafts. Didn't realize it, figured I'd just throw it in. Sorry it came out of order. 2 Chapers this week!

Sabine finished getting cleaned up, and put on yet another set of boyish clothing. Luckily, she had purchased a good enough amount of spares to provide an adequate wardrobe. She emerged from the hallway and into the sitting area, where the two were conversing.

"Ah, of course. I had never eaten it myself, but I have heard about the restaurants here exploiting the local flavors. It's definitely appreciated," the old woman said.

Sabine joined the two of them as Kya was ending her thought.

"We were talking about the dishes we ate the other night," Pristella explained, as she sipped her tea.

"Yes, yes. Aaran, why didn't you tell me about the food? It sounded positively delectable."

Sabine just shrugged not knowing how to respond. Of course she missed on those details when discussing to Kya about their evening. Her mind was clearly focused on something much more important.

The girl stole a glance at him, looking for a response. Since he gave none, she took it upon herself to explain.

"Oh Mrs. Jing, I'm sure he didn't mean to forget. But I do believe he had _other_ things on his mind that preoccupied him," she gave the boy a teasing look.

Sabine suddenly turned to face her. 

"What is she trying to say? Why would she say that? I mean...it's true, but...doesn't that implicate her too?" She thought anxiously. She blushed at the thought of the idea about Kya not knowing about their intimacy, and accidentally finding out through the girl's implied comments.

Kya chuckled at the girl's comment. Given their short interaction, she now understood the teasing that Sabine had originally complained about.

"I should finish up in the kitchen. Lady Pristella, I had no idea you were coming by for a visit, but if you'd like, you're obviously welcome to join us for dinner."

"Ah, right...dinner. It didn't even cross my mind to tell Kya we were going out, but now I feel bad that she spent time coo.." Sabine's thought was interrupted by Pristella.

"Oh thank you Mrs. Jing. I would love that." 

"Wonderful," she said, making her way back to the kitchen.

Pristella gave him a look of understanding as the woman walked away, then smiled at him.

"It's nice to know that you do clean up well, even if it isn't for a special event," the girl teased in a quiet voice.

"Haha, funny, princess," she responded sarcastically.

The girl just chuckled, placing her hand on the boy's thigh.

Sabine was surprised at her public sign of affection and felt nervous, causing her to stand up immediately and retreat towards the kitchen. "Kya, I'll help set the table."

Pristella couldn't help but be amused.

* * *

"Ah, thank you Mrs. Jing, that meal was delightful! I now see why Aaran said that your cooking rivaled that of Jes Stephan's."

"Did he really?" she said with a laugh.

"Indeed," she said, as she joined in with her laughter.

Sabine just shook her head disapprovingly at Pristella.

As their laughs died down, the girl brought her attention to the painting that hung up on the wall.

"That is a beautiful painting, Mrs. Jing. The artist is very talented. You can clearly see the emotions painted through their use of colors and line patterns."

Kya smiled at the girl's appreciation of art, and wanted to further call attention to Sabine's talents without naming her as the artist.

"The artist is indeed very talented. It was gifted to me and I was instantly captivated by it."

Pristella nodded. "I have seen many artists' work as I traveled with my parents. This one...the artist really has a way of expressing their feelings."

The more they talked about it, the more Sabine felt humbled, slightly blushing at their complements.

"I would love to meet the artist one day. They seem like a wonderful person. Is the artist local?"

"Indeed my lady. In fact, you've already met the artist."

"I have?" she said surprised.

Kya smiled, "Lady Pristella, may I introduce the artist, known as Aaron Jing."

Sabine turned to Kya, her face practically screaming, "Geez Kya, you didn't have to say it like that." She proceeded to shake her head and turned towards the girl, who, just looked back in amazement.

"Aaran. Really, you painted this?" she said with no malice behind her words.

"Guilty as charged."

"That's...that's absolutely amazing. I had no idea that you were such an artist."

"Well princess, I don't paint for money or anything, I just make art from time to time when I feel like it."

The girl laughed. "You don't need to make money in order to become an artist you know."

Sabine nodded her head and laughed.

"Princess?" Kya inquired.

Sabine realized she slipped in the all too common nickname she had given Pristella, and blushed in embarrassment.

"Long story Mrs. Jing, but that's what Aaran calls me these days."

"Ahh, I see," she said with a smile, acknowledging the relationship she had already been made aware of the night before.

The two both laughed as Sabine's cheeks got even redder.

* * *

After cleaning up dinner, Kya excused herself for the night to leave the two to themselves.

"I should probably head to bed. These old bones need to get its beauty sleep," she said with a chuckle.

"Goodnight Mrs. Jing. It was such a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh my dear, the pleasure is all mine, I assure you," she said as she gave the girl a hug goodbye.

"Goodnight Kya."

"Goodnight, my young prince. Take care of this young lady, and don't stay out too late," she said partially joking, while shaking her finger at him.

She made her way to her quarters and let the two of them be.

"Well, without much to it, I believe your mother already acknowledged our relationship."

"What do you mean?"

She laughed and stepped to face him. "Oh nothing, my young prince," she said, and tapped him on the nose.

It finally connected and made her blush. The girl proceeded to kiss him, until he shied away.

"Princess....not here," Sabine whispered.

"Oh, and why not? She already knows."

"Yea, but...some place else maybe?"

"Oh, very well, I did have a different destination for this evening anyway."

"Works for me. Oh, hold that thought. I should probably return that tux that T-053 lent me the other night."

"Sounds good. I'll come with."

"No!" she said, her voice slightly raised. "I mean. No, you can wait here. My room's....got a bunch of smelly boy things that a girl, like yourself, shouldn't have to deal with." She then went quickly to her room to pick up the items she needed.

* * *

Sabine found only the jacket. "Wait..what did I do with the rest of it? Kriff, I really need to clean this place up a bit."

"Ugh, I should hide my girly things...just in case.."

Sabine picked up anything that hinted at her identity and tossed them in her closet, as she tripped over shoes, paint bottles and other various art supplies. She ended up hiding her pajamas, a dress that Kya lent her, her Mandalorian armor, and anything else. As she did so, she found the rest of the tux laying under her blanket.

"You really need to pick up in here Aaran." The girl's voice startled her.

"Princess!" she said startled at her presence. "I told you to wait in the kitchen."

"Excuse me...you _told me_?" she said with her brow arched, head slightly tilted, and hands on her waist. "Maybe as we've gotten close to each other, Aaran Jing, you've forgotten some manners."

"Huh?"

"Maybe, what you meant to say, is that 'you _asked me_ to stay in the kitchen'. Which in that case, you may ask, but I have full authority to do as I wish," she said quietly, giving a coy smile.

Sabine sighed. "You really drive me crazy sometimes, you know that?"

"Oh, I hope I do," she said, playfully winking at him.

The girl continued to make her way into the boy's room, taking note of how he lived.

"Um...I have the clothes. We can probably go now."

"Well, if I ever doubted that you were the artist, I don't now," she said, glancing at the art supplies strewn across the room.

"Wait, don't..." she ran over to prevent the girl from looking into the closet. "You know...privacy might be nice. Aren't there manners against snooping in other people's homes?"

"Touché, my young prince," she said teasingly. "You're absolutely right. My apologies. I shouldn't be snooping around and accidentally finding your...how'd you put it? 'Smelly boy things?," she commented and laughed as she made her way out of the room.


	11. The Reality of Something Temporary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update: For those of you that already read this chapter, but noticed the updated date, I added a new Chapter 10 and pushed this one as 11. Bonus chapter that I figured I'd add to the mix.

They road an hour's drive until they reached their intended destination. By this time, nightfall had taken its full grasp on the land. As they exited the shuttle craft, the cool, brisk wind sent chills down Sabine's back.

"This time, I have us covered," Pristella said, tossing a blanket to the boy.

The moons overhead gave an eerie glow, allowing them to navigate the desert's terrain and as they escalated a small sand dune.

"Do we really want to be out in the desert at this hour?" Sabine said concerned.

"Why? Does it frighten you?" the girl asked jokingly.

"No. Of course not. I just don't understand the appeal of being out here this late at night. There's nothing out here. Plus, the sand hitting me in the face isn't exactly what I'd call a wonderful time."

"Just wait until we get there. It's just over this dune."

Sabine took Pristella's hand to help assist her over the sandy cliff. Once they reached the precipice, the landscape had changed. There, beyond that sandy edge, lay a hidden oasis, large enough to admire the beauty of the green trees, cacti and shrubbery that surrounded a lake. The cool breeze danced along the watery surface, bending the moonlight into a hypnotising shimmer. 

They descended past the cliff's edge to a rocky opening, not too far from where they stood. The area was perfect. It sat against the walls of sand and rocks, providing shelter from the cool breeze and sandy particles that it threw around mercilessly. The view remained unhindered. Despite the darkness that surrounded them, the desert's hidden gem was quite visible under the moons and stars above. It was quiet, with only a faint sound of leaves rusting against the wind. It was beautiful. They were completely isolated, as if they were in a world of their own.

Sabine couldn't stop staring at the view. Once more, Pristella managed to introduce her to a new type of landscape on the planet.

"Aaran, come," the girl waved him over to the patch of land where she had laid one of the blankets. He followed her lead and they both sat there, in awe of their surroundings.

"I've...never seen anything like this before," Sabine said, her eyes carefully taking in the scenery.

"Not many people have."

"How did you find this place?"

"Well, the very first time we visited this planet, my father asked a local to tell him about some areas of interest. My father loved to understand the different planets on which he ran a business on. He felt like it gave him an advantage."

"That's a solid thought."

"Indeed. He sought out an elderly man, who lived here all his life. He was adventurous in his day, and canvassed the planet, exploring new places, such as this one. He said not many know about the places he's been to. They were generally either well hidden, or too far into the desert for anyone to be willing to venture out into. Out of all of the spots we visited, this one remained to be my favorite."

Sabine nodded. "I can see why."

"You know princess, for being a foreigner, you've definitely opened my eyes to a lot of beauty on this world that I didn't know existed. Thank you." Sabine looked into Pristella's eyes, eternally grateful for having such opportunities.

"My pleasure," she said with a loving smile. "Perhaps these places will even provide you with more inspiration for your art."

"They already have," she responded, looking back at the land, subconsciously taking note of the scene surrounding them.

"It's a shame really," the girl's words caught her attention, and Sabine's face looked back at the girl.

"What is?"

"That in possibly two day's time, this fantasy that we both are living in, will come to an end." She said this with a sense of sadness in her voice, only adding to the gravity contained in those words.

"It is," Sabine said, as she placed her hand over the girl's. "It is, but...I'm happy to have had the chance to meet you." Sabine's words were never truer. Her feelings, perfectly articulated by those words, flowed out of her mouth and reflected in her eyes. 

They kissed once more, deeply, wishing it would never end.

* * *

Over an hour had passed since they arrived at the oasis. Sabine laid on the blanket, her arm held around the girl, who laid next to her. Pristella's head rested on her shoulder, and in that moment, Sabine didn't care about anything. She was happy.

The girl's hand laid on the boy's stomach. Her fingers swirled about his midsection as she contemplated about their relationship.

"I'm going to miss you, Aaran," she finally said.

"I'm going to miss you too, princess," she said, pulling her in closer to her side.

"Aaran. I've never felt like this for anyone before." Her voice seemed fragile. The idea of letting go of him weighed heavily on her mind and in her heart.

"Me too," she said, as she stared up into the night sky. Her brief words acknowledged their eminent future, leaving her without much to describe the emptiness that she felt.

"Perhaps I can convince my father to let me stay; to keep an eye on his business here, while he travels the galaxy."

"Can you do that?" Sabine asked, looking over to the girl.

"It's always worth trying, but, truth be told, he will probably not allow it."

"Why?"

"Because he thinks that I am still too young. I have lived my entire life socializing, learning about politics, understanding his business ventures, yet, my experience and knowledge are still amateur to say the best. At least in his eyes."

Sabine remained quiet, but understood her words. People may train them and stuff their minds with the knowledge to react and to succeed, but only time can provide you with the experience you need to withstand the trials that lay before you.

"But, I will be back from time to time," she said, grasping onto the only hope she had of ever seeing him again.

Sabine didn't respond. Somehow she was content with what they were sharing at the moment, how everything, their perfect surrounding, the feel of each other's warmth, the closeness they were having, all of it seemed to have provided her with a sense of closure and understanding of the brevity of their relationship. She didn't feel upset to know that everything was ending, though, she wasn't thrilled about it either. She was just at peace.

Before they even had any sort of relationship, Sabine already knew that their interaction with each other would be very limited. As they grew closer, her feelings for the girl gave her a sense of joy and happiness that she hadn't felt before, but she still kept it in the back of her mind that it would all end as quickly as it had started. Sabine, if anything, was always methodical and logical in her thinking. Bred into her, it was second nature, and what allowed her to survive in many situations. Her heart may have toyed with her emotions and confused her greatly over the past few days, but she knew the reality of the situation. The shortness of time and the awareness of the lie as she lived as Aaran, were all the factors that subconsciously, kept her emotions in check. 

Because of all this, there was no reason to cave in to false promises of a potential future. She didn't want to humor that tiny sense of hope that lingered in Pristella's words. She didn't want her heart to break. She was convinced that they could move on amicably from this point.

Throughout her thinking, Sabine remained silent, only broken by feel of cold, wet tears on her chest.

"Pristella...?" Her voice emitted a sense of surprise, recognizing the girl's sorrow.

"Hmm..?" she said, as a small smile appeared on her face, trying to cover up the sadness that ran down her cheeks. "It must be serious. I think you've only used my name once when we first met," she let out a small chuckle. "I'm surprised you remembered."

Sabine smiled at the thought. She knew the girl was trying to stay strong. She only pulled her closer, turning so that her other arm wrapped around the girl. Pristella's head, now engulfed by the Sabine's embrace.

The girl felt safe in his arms and she didn't want it to end. She had never truly connected with someone like Aaran. He was really like no one else she's ever met. She admired his sense of beauty, adored his frantic attempts to keep conversations with her, was amazed by the feelings he portrayed in his paintings (ones she knew echoed in his heart), and she was even impressed that he, at times, could honestly be her prince. She broke into tears once more, damning their separation. Under her sobs, Sabine heard her speak.

"Aaran...I love you."

For a split second, Sabine's heart skipped a beat. She was taken aback by what she thought she heard the girl say. Anxiety built up inside her. Her calm demeanor cracked under those words. She didn't know how to respond. She enjoyed their time together, the closeness and intimacy they shared, but she wasn't sure if she felt the same. They hadn't spent enough time for her to develop feelings like Pristella did, or maybe it was her brain that stopped them from forming, but she was once again confused. Out of everything, she hadn't expected for things to turn this way. It was supposed to be temporary. They both knew that. But now, it seemed like their hearts were betraying them, making it harder for them to part ways. She knew she had to say something and didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings, but she couldn't find the right words.

"Thank you..." she responded in haste.

Sabine knew that it wasn't what the girl wanted to hear, but it was the best that she could do. She wanted to stay firm and unrelenting; she was protecting herself and not wanting to feel trapped by the idea of love. A love that had no future.

"Aaran?" the girl asked as she sat up and looked at the boy, questioning his response.

Sabine sat up as well, realizing that the girl was clearly shocked at her reply. She didn't acknowledge her stare, knowing she didn't have the courage to face the girl without possibly jeopardizing her will to keep her emotions at bay. Instead she looked at the sand at her feet, then stood up.

"We should probably head back, princess. It's...it's getting late and I have to be at the hangar bright and early tomorrow to complete the repairs." She stood up and collected the spare blanket, then slowly headed towards the direction of the shuttle. Her head hung low, her face expressed deep sadness for now the evening had turned out.

"Aaran!" the girl yelled. Her tone mixed with resentment and hurt, and it pierced Sabine's heart, stopping her in her tracks.

"Aaran....why?" she asked softly, choking back her tears, hoping that he would return to her call.

It hurt Sabine to know that she was causing the girl pain. She had tried to wall off Pristella's feelings, to protect her own. She was selfish and she knew it, but she was still so new to everything, and this was the only way she thought she could handle their separation.

They stood there not moving. The physical distance between them, echoed in the distance that started to grow in their hearts. Sabine's chest grew heavier and heavier the longer she stood there, and not knowing how much more she could continue with her charade, she needed this conversation to end quickly.

"I...I"m sorry princess, but we should really get going." 

Sabine tried to remain strong. She continued towards the shuttle, not uttering another word, not stopping another moment, and not letting anything else tear away what little courage she had left.

* * *

The ride back was unpleasant. It was unlike all the other times they had shared. They sat in silence for the entire length of the trip, neither one saying or doing anything. There were no jokes, no banter, no signs of affection. There was an invisible barrier between them, one that distanced them further.

Upon reaching Sabine's home, she reluctantly exited the shuttle, half expecting the girl to follow suit, as she had done before. However, Pristella remained inside, almost ignoring the fact that the boy had stepped out.

For a moment, Sabine looked at the girl, who remained still. Her head was lowered slightly, and her eyes fixated to the ground. She could see the sadness that filled the girl.

"I..." she floundered for her words. "Thank you for taking me to the oasis. I..." she struggled to complete her thoughts.

In the meantime, the girl didn't acknowledge him. Her heart ached. She couldn't understand why the boy she loved, suddenly rejected her, or why he was acting as if her feelings meant nothing. She sat there, silently hoping that it was all a horrible misunderstanding, and that the words he was fighting hard to say, would finally repeat the same love she felt for him. Alas, it was not the case.

"I....I'm sorry for everything. Really." Sabine couldn't say anything more. Every other word, every other phrase she came up with, only felt painful to say.

Pristella tapped on the console to shut the shuttle door. She repeated the silent treatment that she had received from him.

Sabine watched as the shuttle disappeared down the street. She hated it. She felt the guilt tear at her, knowing that she had caused pain to the one person who loved her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heartbreak. Was kinda torn about how this relationship would play out, and decided that this route would work best for the series. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	12. Misery, Company and Booze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short and delayed chapter. Been a bit occupied. The closure of this work finishes up soon.

The next morning was hard to face. Sabine was exhausted from the night before. She couldn't sleep a wink after what happened. The guilt kept eating at her, as she remembered their last night together.

When she finally made it into work, she tried to set her head on the tasks at hand.

"Maybe I can just distract myself with work. I just...I need to forget," she told herself.

She looked at her datapad to review the remaining tasks and went straight to it. The hours flew by, giving Sabine the distraction she desperately hoped for. Once she completed her work, she went through the entire check-list one more time before paging Gial to start the inspection.

"I'll be right over," the Mon Calamari responded.

Sabine paced in the cockpit, eventually moving into the lounge area to sit more comfortably. However, the minute she entered the hallway, a flash of memories swept through her mind: their first meeting, the whole "hunt for the pendant" incident, their passionate kiss. Everything was reminding her of Pristella. She quickly left the ship and decided to wait for him outside.

Eventually, after a few minutes, Gial showed up, and Sabine escorted him into the ship. After about an hour or so, Gial completed his assessment of the repairs.

"Another job well done, lad."

"Thank you, Master."

"You're an amazing mechanic, young man. You'll do great things one day, I'm sure," he said as he laid his hand on the boy's shoulder.

His out-of-the-blue comments startled Sabine. She wondered if maybe he saw the sadness in her eyes and wanted to help console her.

"Come, let's report back to Mr. Jawgs, so that we can put this job to rest."

Sabine nodded and they headed towards Jawgs' office.

* * *

After hearing the update from Gial, Jawgs was utterly pleased to get clearance on the completed job.

"Ahahaha, this is wonderful boys!" he said with a pleased demeanor. "We have a really great shot at gaining that new business partnership now! Yous two did well."

The two men continued their excitement, while Sabine only responded with fake smiles.

"I don't see why we don't celebrate ahead of time. Come, let's go to Chibby's, my treat!"

Chibby's was a hole-in-the-wall bar down the street, where only workers and those desperate enough for stock, cheap liquor showed up. There were no fancy drinks and no fancy seating. It was quite literally a dump that reeked of old spilt liquor, but it was a place that provided reprieve for the local tradesmen.

Jawgs took the liberty of ordering a round for their table. 

"Here boy, drink this. It'll put some hair on your chest," he laughed, as he handed the boy a tall glass of greenish, bubbly liquid.

They each held up their own glasses and made a toast.

"Here's to the future!" Jawgs shouted.

"Here, here," Gial responded.

Sabine raised her glass as well, but didn't say a word. After the toast, the all drank from their respective mugs. 

The drink was unappealing. It literally tasted like engine fluid. Might be the right color too. However, this seemed to only bother Sabine. The other two happily continued to consume it.

She didn't feel like drinking. The drink itself tasted awful, she hated the after-effects of drinking, and she remembered Pristella, who was the first to introduce her to liquor.

"What's a matter boy, too strong for ya?" Jawgs laughed.

They both stared at him, his mind was distracted, and he was not interested in partaking in their celebration, at a filthy bar, with a disgusting drink.

"It's the girl isn't it?" Jawgs admitted, with a somewhat serious tone.

"What girl?" Gial asked.

"Our lil prince charmin' here fell head over heels for the Count's daughter," he said with a smirk, then gulping down the reminder of his beer.

"Ah, young love," the Mon-Calamari chimed in.

"Mhmmm, seems like he's not taking it well," he then turned to the young boy. "What's wrong? Ya get dumped kid?" He laughed again, trying to lighten up the mood.

Sabine sat there taking in all the jabs. His words reminded of her of the girl more and more. She grew angry, though she fought hard to contain it. She couldn't afford to explode at her boss, not after everything he's helped her with.

"No, I didn't." Resentment filled her tone.

The Mon-Calamari placed his hand on the boy's shoulders, sympathizing with his anguish. "This will pass, young one. Time heals, and I do not doubt that you will find love again."

His words calmed Sabine. His acknowledgement of her feelings was all she needed. She nodded and drank another sip of the beer.

"Now that's better!" Jawgs yelled excitedly. "Another round!"

They must've spent at least two hours at the bar. The two men slowly showing more signs of inebriation, while Sabine tried to hold her own. She hadn't drank as much as they did, and it seemed that the beer they were ingesting, was lower in alcohol content than the wine she had with Pristella. She drowned her feelings with another glass. At this point, she had no idea how many she had consumed, but maintained a careful eye on her tolerance as she watched the two men continue to down more drinks. By the end of the evening, both men were thoroughly toasted, with Sabine, not too far behind. It seemed she has yet to understand her limits.

"Alright boys, I'm callin' it," Jawgs stumbled to say. "Head in the hangar, grab whatever ya need, and I'm payin' for a shuttle home for all of us."

Jawgs could be a crude man on the outside, but he was as kind as they came. He watched over his people, making sure that they got what they deserved, knowing full well that he always had their backs, and always owned up to any mistakes that happened during his watch.

The two did as they were told, shuffling back into the workplace, gathering their belongings then headed back outside, where Jawgs had three separate shuttles waiting.

"Boys, job well done again, I'll see yous tomorrow." He said his peace and made his way into one of the shuttles.

"Goodnight lad, may you sleep peacefully tonight." The Mon-Calamari tried his hardest to remain coherent, if not at least to give the boy some additional comfort. Then he made it to the second shuttle, wavering from side to side before he climbed inside.

Sabine eventually made her way towards the last shuttle, practically falling asleep on the ride home.


	13. Goodbyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of this story. Sorry it took a while. Enjoy!

Much to her disappointment, she didn't have the day off the next morning to recuperate from a night of drinking. Her head pounded just like the other time, with the same dull throbbing that pushed against the back of her eyeballs.

She took what she needed to to recover, drinking several glasses of water, swallowing two pain reliever pills, and making a cup of caf. For some reason, she assumed the extra caffeine will help kick her system back into gear. Or at least she hoped.

She made it to the hangar only a few minutes later than she was supposed to arrive. Both Jawgs and Gial were already talking business to the Count and Countess with regards to their vessel. Sabine managed to slip in unnoticed and went to her locker to get prepped for the day's work.

Once ready, she headed back down the corridor towards the ships. The bright light that lit through, stung at her eyes, forcing her to squint the entire way down. She was eventually stopped by a stranger's touch.

"Walk with me," the voice said.

Sabine waited for her eyes to adjust to the light, only to see a figure walking away. She shook her head violently and rubbed at her eyes, hoping it would help. Unfortunately, by the time her vision had cleared, the figure was far in the distance. She hurried to catch up.

She made it outside where she lost track of whoever it was she was following.

"Aaran, come."

Only then, did she immediately recognized the voice. It was Pristella's. She was waiting for him inside her shuttle.

Sabine straightened up, a bit uneasy in not knowing what to expect.

"Young sir, my lady is waiting for you in the shuttle."

She turned to see T-053 standing next to her, ushering her to the vehicle. As soon as she entered, the doors slip shut.

Sabine sat next to the girl. Her chest grew tight and her stomach tightened. By now, this was a feeling all too common for Sabine when she was with her. She kept her gaze downwards, with shame and guilt emanating through her.

The girl slowly placed her hand on top of his.

"Too much to drink again?" she said, with a forced smile.

Sabine felt comforted by her touch. One she hadn't yet realized was something she desperately needed at that time. She turned her head to look at her. Pristella was desperately trying to act in character, but Sabine could hear the tenseness in her voice.

"Too much," she responded, mimicking the same fake smile.

"Aaran...about the other night.." 

Sabine sat and listened, not knowing what to expect. 

There was a momentary pause. Pristella gripped the boy's hand.

"I...I don't understand any of it!" she said with a slightly angered tone. Her facade had fallen and raw emotions ran through her.

"That wasn't you. I don't know what you were thinking, but I know that that wasn't you. I know it wasn't. It couldn't be." Tears started to stream down her cheeks. Sabine couldn't bare to watch.

"I know you felt something for me and I know you know it too. Maybe I pushed too hard when I told you that I..." she paused, refusing to complete her sentence, fearing to utter those words once more.

"Why Aaran, why?" She stared at the boy, saying those words with a desperate plea in her voice.

The girl's fragile state, the anger and sadness in her tone, the way her hand shook as emotions ran recklessly through her, reminded Sabine of what she had done to the girl. It chipped at her heart, nearly causing her to break down herself. Out of reaction and frustration she pulled her hand away from the girl's grip, bending forward in her seat and driving both hands through her scalp, laying her head in her hands. She refused to let her emotions show. She couldn't, not after everything she'd already done.

After a moment's silence, the girl spoke once more.

"I thought about you. I thought about everything that's happened, trying to come up with a reason for your sudden change in behavior," she said as she clasped her hands tightly. "I could only come up with one solution, the only one I could accept. The one that said that you were hurt at the thought of all this ending, but didn't want to show it. The one that said that you did care for me, that you do care for me, but something prevented you from saying it."

Silence still.

"Aaran...," her voice lessened to a faint sound.

"I won't know anything unless you speak to me. Please."

Pristella's last word of pleading, cracking under the sound of her sadness, was the final straw. Tears escaped Sabine's eyes, but with her head still buried in her hands, she made sure not to show it. Instead, she rubbed her face as if she was frustrated. The ploy worked.

"I understand," the girl said with defeat in her voice.

"Perhaps, it was my naive, childish self that believed that someone could actually fall in love with me as quickly as I did for you," she scoffed, "But I did Aaran. I did." 

She took a deep breath and tried to maintain a cool head. "I don't know if you loved me. Maybe I never will. Maybe...," she paused momentarily, "you had no feelings for me at all, and this was all a delusion you helped create, in order to get to my father's best side. A ruse I know all too well. Unfortunately for me, I never expected it to come from you."

The last comment pierced through Sabine's heart. Her mind argued against those words. In her head, she shouted, "No! That's not true. I'm not like those people! I would never use you. I...I can't believe you'd think of me like that." Sabine wanted to say those words. She needed to say those words, but for some reason, she couldn't say a thing. Fear and hesitation took over her, preventing her from defending herself, but she didn't know why. She let the accusations soak through her, only fueling the girl's suspicions to the latter truth.

"Hrmph. If that's the case then, well played, young sir. Well played."

The words were at the tip of her tongue. She needed to wipe those thoughts away from the girl, but she knew she couldn't. She eventually realized that she was doing what was best for the both of them, by ending things between them so that they wouldn't have to endure a false sense of hope in their relationship. She felt that dealing with the agonizing pain one time, was better than living with the sorrow of their unknown, long-distanced, maybe possible relationship on a daily basis. But as she tried to convince herself of this, she just as quickly started to wonder if it was the right thing to do. Her emotions were starting to muddle her convictions.

The girl gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks, and batted her eyes to clear them.

"I have something for you," she said as she reached into her purse and pulled out a green velvet box.

Sabine turned slightly, eyeing the gift that was nudged in front of her. She reluctantly took it into her hands, opening the clam shell box which revealed a round golden clasp. In the center was the image of a sun. It's rendering was simplistic, a round ball with triangular rays surrounding it. Outside the circle that the sun centered within, was a set of stars that bordered it. The clasp was not big, but definitely held its weight. It reminded her of how she held Pristella's pendant that day she had found it. She then remembered that she had forgotten to ask her about the significance of that pendant, an opportunity missed to learn more about the girl she cared for.

"I'm sure you recall where this is from," she said, matter-of-factly.

Sabine nodded. "It's the clasp that held the cloak around me. The one I put around you, on that night."

"Something to remember me by."

With her last words, the shuttle door slid open, a sign that it was time for him to leave.

Sabine's heart was heavy. She didn't want to leave, but she knew she had outstayed her welcome. Her attitude made sure of it.

As she stepped out of the shuttle, she continued to hold the box in her hands, gazing at its contents. 

Pristella had exited the shuttle as well and turned to face the boy one last time, and for once, their eyes met, sadness looming between them.

"I wish...I wish what we had was true," she said, heartbroken and choking back her tears once more.

She leaned up against the boy, placing her arms around his neck and kissing him. One. Last. Time. 

Sabine felt her warmth, their bodies pressed against each other, and she savored her lips. She realized how much she'd missed it and how much she will always miss it. Her eyes were closed, but behind them, tears were held back. She placed her arms around the girl's waist once more to pull her close, but the minute she touched her, the girl pulled away. 

Pristella looked at the boy, the look of pain was made clear in her eyes, and she made sure he saw that.

"Goodbye my prince," her hand pressed on his cheek as she uttered her final words, before she walked away.

* * *

The next few days were agony. The pain she tried to prevent, the heartbreak she tried to stop, failed. The more she thought about her, the worse it got. She realized that the pain she inflicted on the girl was in vain. The guilt worsened. She wished that she could take it all back. Tell the girl that she realized that she did love her. But it was too late. It was all too late, and she had to live with that, forever.

_The same day that Pristella left, the Count had thanked the boy personally for his work, providing him with a hefty bonus for a job well done. His boss, Jawgs, received a word-of-mouth contract from the Count, willing to pursue a business partnership moving forward. Everything they had originally aimed for was a success, but nothing amounted to the loss Sabine felt. She felt like she had betrayed Pristella, having her leave under the assumption that her involvement was nothing more than for financial gain. Pristella believed he was just like everyone else._

_Unable to accept what had happened, she quit working at the hangar. The memories there would live on, and that was something she couldn't bear to be surrounded by, day by day._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's that for this work. Thanks for all of you who read through. I hope you all enjoyed it
> 
> It's been fun writing the series so far, exploring the possibilities of what past Sabine had experienced. Hopefully I'll have the motivation to keep going. 
> 
> If you have any thoughts or feedback, let me know. All is appreciated :D


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